As the wet summer continues to frustrate holiday-goers, torrential rain has kept fire crews busy as it caused minor flooding to low-lying parts of Timaru.
But the heavy downpour has been welcomed by drought-stricken farmers in Hawarden, though they say the challenge isn't over yet as they find out tomorrow if much-needed support is heading their way.
For the first time in 18 months, it's pouring on Iain Wright's farm. Running water and puddles have appeared after three days of gentle, on-and-off rain.
"Things have really turned around now," he says. "We've got moisture in the ground. The paddocks have greened up. There's hope."
Shades of green are pushing through the scorched land.
More rain has fallen in the Hurunui District in the first two weeks of this year than it did in all of last year, which has come as a huge relief to exhausted farmers.
"There's hope," says Mr Wright. "You know, we can turn around. We can grow grass; we can do all these things we're meant to."
The drought-stricken area has faced one of the driest spells in decades. Just weeks ago it was dusty, dry, parched land, with sheep basically eating dirt.
The Government declared the area an official drought zone last year, and although it has had more rainfall, locals are saying it's not a drought-breaker and they want to see that declaration extended for another five months.
"All the grass in the world doesn't take away the stress and the loss of income and the huge expense it's been to buy in feed and send stock to grazing over the last 18 months," says Hurunui District Mayor Winton Dalley.
Steady rain across the South Island over the past three days has been welcomed by north Otago and south Canterbury farmers as well. Some water restrictions have already lifted.
But summer's not over yet. Farmers desperately want more rain to survive the year.
"You always want more," says North Otago Federated Farmers dairy chair Lyndon Strang. "I think we'll be very happy with what we've got so far. If we get a wee bit more today then that will be a great little finishing touch to the whole rain."
But it would take only several days of Norwest winds to suck all that life-giving moisture right back out of the ground again.
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