Water and Mountains

New Zealand is a very mountainous country, especially the South Island.

As the Southern Alps lie roughly across the path of the “Roaring Forties” and impede and force upwards the very moist air masses from the Tasman Sea, there is very heavy annual rainfall in the west, and less in the east.

However all the major [braided] rivers of the South Island have their headwaters in high precipitation areas, and can be “in flood” on perfectly sunny days in eastern areas.

Hence in any photo of mountains in New Zealand, water will not be far away!