Northland farmers are breathing a sigh of relief after much needed rain arrived over the weekend.

Kaikohe sheep and beef farmer, Roger Ludbrook, says the weekend’s rain has helped ease farmers’ fears of a significant dry spell.

"We hadn’t had rain for quite a long period of time, but I cleaned out my gauge yesterday and we’d had 25mls through to yesterday morning and I understand that’s pretty localised – certainly throughout the Bay of Islands."

Mr Ludbrook says the area is expecting another 15mls of rain today.

"Even though we’d got dry and it was probably starting to crimp our growth in the last week there was still pretty good soil moisture levels.

"Most of the issues I think people are having with feed at the moment are driven more by the fact the grass hasn’t really come away yet – but it hasn’t really come away for a spring in Northland for last 10 years."

More rain is forecast for the entire Northland region over the next 8 days.

But while farmers at the top of the country are welcoming the wet weather those in the south are being told to brace for another cold snap.

Snow is expected down to 200 metres in southern and eastern areas of the South Island early this week with the Caitlans expected to receive heavy falls.