WELLINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand has launched a new tool to predict dryness and drought 35 days into the future, which will help farmers and growers be better prepared for challenging weather conditions.

The free tool, developed by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), using the latest in artificial intelligence and long-range weather modelling, provides week-to-week predictions of rainfall, dryness, and potential drought 35 days into the future.

The outlook updates daily, capturing the latest changes in the climate system. It also offers long-term forecasts at a much higher spatial resolution than previously available, according to NIWA on Monday.

NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said this tool enables more frequent and district-level predictions of rainfall, dryness, and drought, providing advanced warning of future dry spells.