Cyclone offers farmers hope

Rainfall in Rotorua overnight Wednesday has done little to relieve the drought woes of local farmers dealing with the worst dry spell in more than four decades.

Only 2mm of rainfall dribbled across the city with none hitting the worse hit areas of Rerewhakaaitu and Reporoa overnight Wednesday.

Rotorua/Taupo Federated Farmers president Neil Heather said farmers needed a slow, steady downfall over a few days to get grass growing on parched paddocks. "The one good thing is it has settled the dust. It's just wet the dirt."

The current soil moisture deficit was minus 150 so the little rain so far would have hardly had an impact, Mr Heather said.

But they don't want torrential rain.

"If we get heavy [rain] all at once it will just wash off the dirt. We need about 80mm of slow and steady rainfall over a few days to soften things up."

One Rerewhakaaitu farmer, who only wished to be named Barry, had farmed through a drought in the 1970s and said not a drop had fallen on his paddocks.

"We have had a few dry years in recent years but this patch has just gone on for too long. If we don't get some significant rainfall soon some of these young ones won't cope.

"The hardest thing is watching stock suffer. This can't go on for much longer."

It's not expected to. Rotorua weatherman Brian Holden said there was rain on the horizon as Tropical Cyclone Sandra crosses the country late this weekend.

The 2mm overnight Wednesday and "drizzle" expected today was part of a low crossing the country from the southwest but the cyclone from the tropics was sure to bring some heavy rainfall, Mr Holden said.

"What rainfall we have had is just enough to get things going but it sounds like there is a bit more rain forecast ... hopefully we will get some serious rain on Monday ... it's not very often you hope for a cyclone to hit."

The region is desperate for rainfall.

"Hopefully the cyclone will bring a little bit of relief that will help take the pressure off."