The drought may have effectively been broken in parts of Marlborough, but farmers are still preparing for a long winter.
Widespread rain in the past 36 hours has brought relief to parched farms in the South Island and lower North Island, but falls were very localised with some getting a deluge of more than 100mm, but others barely making double figures.
Many farmers say they are not out of the woods yet due in part to the varied amounts that fell.
Marlborough Federated Farmers president Evan White tipped 120mm of rain out of his rain gauge on Friday morning after a 36-hour downpour, but other parts of the province had just 20mm.
Inland North Otago had about 25mm but coastal areas had between 10mm and 17mm. North Canterbury had about 15mm overnight with farmers hopeful another 10mm could fall during the day.
Nelson rainfall varied between 30mm and 110mm while Westland had 800-900mm.
Weather Watch senior forecaster Philip Duncan said a further 10-20mm of rain is forecast for dry areas of the country up until Saturday but then dry settled weather will return for most areas next week.
“I still think we will get more high pressure systems before we have an end to El Niño conditions,” he said.
White said the rain broke what had been one of the driest eight-month periods for Marlborough in 84 years.
“We’re pretty happy really, and it’s still warm so we should get some growth.”
White said there has been little surface flooding, indicating the moisture has soaked in.
Further south, North Otago Federated Farmers president Myfanwy Alexander said 25mm fell on her Waitaki Valley farm, rain that was desperately needed,.
The region’s farmers are hoping for more in the coming weeks.
She said winter crops will be boosted and temperatures are still sufficient to encourage some growth.
The federation’s North Canterbury president, Karl Dean, said just 15mm fell on his farm near Lincoln but little fell on the parched Banks Peninsula.
Sara Black reported about 15mm on her farm near Culverden.
The provincial meat and fibre chair was hopeful another 10mm could fall during the day.
Heavier falls in the headwaters means the district’s rivers are flowing much higher, which could mean an end to irrigation restrictions.
The fire risk meant the Amuri Collie Club trials were cancelled the week, but the rain could lessen that threat, she said.
Heavy rain fell as about 80 people attended a drought shout organised by the Rural Support Trust and Nelson Federated Farmers at Tapawera near Nelson on Thursday night.
The irony was not lost of those attending the event, the federation’s Nelson meat and fibre chair, Kerry Irvine, said.
He said the localised falls mean the rain is not a game changer.
“This is the beginning. The recovery has not yet started.”
But it will be welcomed, especially by those who have had wells run dry and have been carting water for livestock, he said.
