Longer term forecasts predict that El Nino conditions will persist for several months, bringing westerly quarter winds and rain to the southern hydro lakes. Sou'west winds tend to fill Manapouri and Te Anau, whereas nor'west winds tend to fill the larger hydro lakes further north, so this is not a guarantee of high inflows and low prices.

Long-range forecasts are also notoriously error-prone, so the weather situation can change quickly.