Recent rainfall across Hawke's Bay has come as welcome relief to most, but an expected return to dry weather over the next few weeks could see any greenery that has emerged quickly return to brown.
Weather Watch head forecaster Philip Duncan said the two days of rain this week - which ranged between 25mm and 65mm for different areas - were a good start for the usually dry month.
"I think the two combined are a really healthy combination, but it's still not enough to reverse the big dry or the unofficial drought Hawke's Bay is in," Mr Duncan said.
"This rain will be very, very helpful for those who are on rainwater or those needing to green up the grass or the garden, but for those who are seriously farming, this was not enough."
Metservice data showed rainfall for both Napier and Hastings has been below the historical average each month since October. Napier only had 5mm of rain in January, against a monthly average of 62mm.
Mr Duncan said the bad news was that the weather was expected to be drier than average over the next few weeks, but stressed it was unpredictable.
"We need at least two days of heavy rain producing over 100mm to just even break even, let alone making up the [deficit] from November or December."
Metservice forecaster Tuporo Marsters said Wairoa was the big winner this week with 65mm since Tuesday. Napier had 36mm and Hastings had 28mm.
"This bout of rain we've had now was a welcome relief, but it's probably not enough."
Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay president Will Foley said the recent rainfall lifted the spirits of farmers.
"It's boosted a bit of morale I guess ... Physically it needs more follow-up rain now to have a significant impact."
He said farmers had an average of 25mm this week. Some had as little at 10mm, and some had as much as 45mm.
"Another hit like that for February and we'd probably be hitting our average, and another two or three hits like that for March and we'd be into what I would consider a normal autumn," he said.
"Physically most farmers seem to be coping okay so far."
Hawke's Bay Fruitgrowers' Association president Lesley Wilson said most growers have been managing.
"We're highly dependent on irrigation during a drought. Certainly the 20mm to 40mm that has been experienced across Hawke's Bay in the past [couple of days] has been welcomed.
"We've been lucky enough to have rain in the headwaters, so river levels haven't been as low as they could have been ... if we don't get any rain in the plains, we definitely need it in the headwaters, the Kawekas and the Ruahines."