DPI Grain Specialist Peter Matthews Photo Jude Keogh
AFTERNOON UPDATE - WHILE rain may be dampening spirits over the long-weekend, local producers will no doubt be happy to soak up the weather change after a recent dry spell.
Farmers received some much needed relief on Friday and Saturday in what is a critical stage for most grain crops especially canola.
Areas of Orange reported up to 46 millimetres of rain on Friday, and as at 5pm Saturday about 2mm had fallen.
NSW Department of Primary Industries' grain services technical specialist Peter Matthews said long term rainfall in the Central West Slopes and Tablelands had slipped back in the last two months to below average.
"What we've seen in September up to date in Orange is about 18 per cent of its long term average for rainfall," he said.
"It's a dramatic shift in the rainfall pattern.
"This weekend was a critical point for most growers."
Mr Matthews said without the rain over the weekend crops in the region would have started to stress and potential yield would have been lost.
Find out what the cool change will mean for grain producers and fruit growers in Monday's CWD.