KEY POINTS:
Steady rain in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne has brought relief to farmers who were last week being warned of the worst drought in 125 years after a record dry in May.
MetService forecaster Andy Downs said farmers in both regions had benefited from a much weaker version of the low pressure system that brought havoc to New South Wales.
This rain band was heading out to the east of New Zealand, but Mr Downs said further lows were set to develop in the Tasman Sea, bringing more rain this week.
The MetService's Bob McDavitt also said the rain band was likely to be the first of many.
"After a long absence, lows are now forming over the Tasman Sea, allowing periods of easterly rain to return to our driest areas."
Further showers on the east coast of the North Island are expected today, and Mr Downs said a new low pressure system due to pass to the north of the North Island on Friday would bring further easterly rain from late Thursday and into the weekend.
Hawkes Bay Federated Farmers spokesman Kevin Mitchell said farmers would be delighted if the rain continued.
He said the rainfall was a huge relief but other farmers have described it as too little, too late for some properties to carry stock over the winter.
Mr Downs said cool winter temperatures would still constrain pasture growth, as southeasterly winds would be chilly.
But rain would go some way to reducing the soil moisture deficits in farming areas and set them up for spring growth when things began to warm up again.
Late last month farmers in Hawkes Bay were forced to sell off stock because of concern there would not be enough feed to last the winter.
The east coast of the North Island had only 3mm of rain in April and 6mm of rain in May, compared with an average of 88mm, and many rural areas have been reduced to dry dams, brown hills and a lot of dust.
But the rain on Sunday, through to yesterday in the Gisborne area, ranged from 27mm at Gisborne to 56mm at Hikuwai, 7km southwest of Tokomaru Bay, and 40mm at both Hicks Bay and Poroporo.
"It's not going to break the drought by itself, but it has fallen in a particularly good way - steady light rain," Mr Downs said.
To the south, in Hawkes Bay, heavier rain was falling and he expected totals of 80mm in some areas there.
"That is going to bring in some more significant relief.
- NZPA
