Some parts of Hawke's Bay are forecast to get a month's worth of rain on Thursday.
Between 50mm to 100m is expected across the region, with Wairoa in particular expected to get heavy rain.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said people should expect rainfall to begin around the region from Wednesday night.
"In our severe weather outlook we've got the Hawke's Bay region and Wairoa District marked out as areas of potential heavy rain from Thursday," she said.
The criteria MetService use when issuing heavy rain warnings is whether there is any possibility of a location receiving 50mm or more within six hours, a short duration rain event, or 100mm of rainfall through a 24 period.
Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay president Jim Galloway said the expected rain should put farmers "ahead of the game".
"We're in a better situation than we were this time last year, but the soil moisture levels are low getting down to not much above last year," he said.
Dry paddocks on Valley Road in Hastings during last year's drought. Photo / Warren Buckland
"We had good rain about three weeks ago getting about 30mm of rain, that's greened up a lot of places."
Galloway said even though the land looks greener, it's very short, sparse and not very nutritious.
"When you get rain after a drought or dry spell the first rain will turn it green and sprout the grass, it's then the second or third rain that will actually give you some grass in the system," he said.
Rainfall for the month of March 2020 in Hawke's Bay was significantly lower than the average throughout most of the region.
Makgabutlane said Mahia's average March rainfall is 93.5mm, but in 2020 it was a lot drier receiving only 17.8mm.
Napier's average rainfall for March, in any year, is around 56.2mm, according to MetService.
In March 2020 MetService's weather station, situated at Napier Airport, recorded 31.8mm, 24.4mm below the average.
Galloway said the lack of rain last year in March and the impact the drought had can still be seen in the low stock levels.
"Last year the place looked like a dust bowl," he said. The carryover of last year is still here - we haven't fully got over last year's drought yet."
"Part of the reason we are in a better position than last year is because a lot of farmers still haven't stocked up to what they normally do – they're understocked."
The rain is set to hover around the Wairoa District but will be easing around other parts of the region on Friday.
