Arrival of warmer weather in Dannevirke brings early lambs

These twins born to their Arapawa mother on the Longstaff lifestyle block on Victoria Ave, on the town boundary, were some of the first spring lambs to appear in Dannevirke. Photo / Christine McKay

After 48 hours of torrential rain last week, Thursday dawned warm and almost spring-like - the signal for the first lambs of the season to arrive.

This is the earliest lifestyle block owner Pete Longstaff has had lambs drop, with his ewes cycling earlier than previously.

The twin lambs, born to their Arapawa mother on the block on the edge of Dannevirke, were soon basking in the sun and making the most of the unseasonably warm temperature of 15C.

Other lambs followed, but after three days of mild weather, winter arrived in Dannevirke again, with cool 8C temperatures and heavy rain from the early hours of Sunday.

So far this month we've had more than 141mm of rain, Norsewood weather-watcher Lyn McConchie said.

"Just a little more - and that was the forecast for most of the week - and we'll pass six inches [152.4mm]."