While more than 40mm of rain fell in some parts of Otago between 6pm on Tuesday and 6pm yesterday, and rain was expected to continue this morning, Federated Farmers North Otago provincial president Richard Strowger was far from jubilant.
"Whatever happens now will be a real tough decision because some farmers will have to kill stock,'' Mr Strowger said.
"Most farmers will have done that [already]. It's your last 30 to 40 years of breeding that you're getting rid of.''
Mr Strowger said he knew farmers who had had to kill stock because of the drought.
Far more rain than what fell recently was needed to break the drought, he said.
"If we can get 50mm and 50mm again and 50mm again, that will do it.
"There's no sub-soil moisture, so until that builds up, it's going to be a bit tough.''
Mr Strowger felt the rain coming in was "not major fronts'' and although some areas had had some respite, other areas, like Totara, south of Oamaru where he farms, had not had any significant rain since before Christmas.
"If evaporation is 6mm a day and you get 30mm, in five days it's all gone.''
Bannockburn farmer Jason Clark said he had not had to kill any extra stock and despite having just 301mm of rain for the entire year last year, his stock were "doing all right''.
"They're merinos. They can live on the smell of an oily rag.''
"It's [pouring] down at the moment,'' Mr Clark said about 4pm yesterday.
The rain would "really help'', but the drought had been tough, even though his area traditionally had a dry climate, he said.
"We're downsizing stock ... Were getting them into the works but we're getting nothing for them. Everyone's starting to panic and wanting to sell stock but no-one wants them. It's [the rain] got to keep going.''
The rain started about 10am yesterday in most places with the heaviest falls recorded between about noon and 4pm.
MetService meteorologist Mariken van Laanen said more rain events like yesterday's were not expected in the near future but the Southern Lakes area could get some rain on Tuesday.
"We probably want between 50mm and 100mm to make a significant change,'' Ms van Laanen said.
"I would guess most areas got something [yesterday] but it can be that it gets quite scattered.''
Niwa National Climate Centre principal scientist Chris Brandolino said the problem in "hotspot areas'' in Otago - areas experiencing much drier than normal soil moisture conditions as well as being severely to extremely dry - could diminish, if not disappear altogether with the rain but he had a warning.
"Much of Otago has below normal soil moisture for this time of year. Rain is forecast for Saturday for much of the South Island. Rainfall is expected to be in the order of 10 to 25mm, with some of the driest areas of the Otago region possibly receiving locally greater amounts,'' Mrs Brandolino said.
"It doesn't mean they [farmers] can call off the drought.''
