Farmers are on alert for hailstorms which are expected to batter inland Southland and central Otago this afternoon.
Federated Farmers had been hoping for slow steady rain to ease the risk of a drought many Southerners fear.
Adverse Events Spokesman David Rose says this afternoon it may go from drought to thunderstorms and hail.
He says it'll take time for rain to condition the soil given how dry it has been.
Mr Rose says many farms are still recovering from the 2010 spring snowstorm.
