Southland has staved off a water shortage, with much-needed rain falling over the area for the first time in weeks.
Up to 15mm of rain has fallen in 24 hours, with more wet weather expected until late on Sunday.
Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh told NZ Newswire up to 50mm of rain is expected to fall in the next four days, with the potential for further rain in the 14-day forecast.
He says this rainfall is a good start, but the area still needs more.
"While this one event won't relieve all the issues ... in terms of rivers and aquifers, this will buy us some time," he says.
Environment Southland had been expected to consider declaring an official water shortage and water restrictions on Thursday, without the rainfall.
Central Otago and the West Coast - where the Franz Josef township ran dry on Monday - are also in for a dose of rain, with a wet and windy end to the week expected for much of the country.
MetService spokesman Daniel Corbett says southern farmers will be grateful for a reprieve from the hot, dry weather.
"You can almost imagine farmers being out there ... waiting for it."
Some areas on the West Coast remain under water restrictions as locals wait to see how much rain falls.
Other parts of the country, left wondering where summer has gone amid recent clouds and rain, will have sunshine once again when the coming wet weather clears into early next week, Mr Corbett says.
NZN