Grey skies and substantial rainfalls have brought smiles this week to the district's farmers who are now sowing or preparing to sow grazing crops for their animals.
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Agronomist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, Mark Golder, said the light falls over the weekend were probably borderline for sowing grazing crops, but yesterday's fairly heavy storms will be enough for anyone who was lucky enough to get a good fall to get some grazing canola seed going out.
"Others - probably a larger percentage - will be waiting until the next rain comes but they'll be preparing for canola or oats.
"Oat seed is quite scarce and expensive at the moment because of the low harvest last year, but if we get a normal season now and get a good oat harvest the price will correct quite quickly," Mr Golder said.
For farmers who have already spread lime to correct the Ph balance of their soil, the rain will help the lime stay put, which has been a challenge in the recent heavy winds.
Some farmers are also putting in some single super pasture fertiliser with the same aim of getting maximising pasture growth as soon as possible.
The condition of most animals in Cootamundra and surrounds is quite good but there is a lot of hand feeding of grain or hay.
"That's why a lot of people are prioritising early sowing of grazing crops, to try and keep the pressure off buying feed or using so much," Mr Golder said.
The storms on Monday and overnight were heavy but patchy, which is typical of this time of year, leading to optimism that there might be a return to more normal patterns.
Falls of 35-40mm were quite common, although some areas only got 20.
Mr Golder said that as an "uneducated guess" he has a feeling that the weather patterns have changed for the better.
"We're getting rain up north and down the coast which is what we normally get with summer storms.
"As the changes are coming through we're getting rain, whereas last year you'd see a change come through and get nothing out of it."
The sudden cloudbursts played havoc along the Olympic Highway on Monday afternoon, when a driveway near the East Jindalee turnoff turned into a mud slide.
A council sweeping truck attended to clear the highway of mud, with an officer explaining the drains on a nearby property driveway had not functioned.
NSW Farmers President James Jackson said many farmers had "dusted off their gumboots".
"It's been a huge relief for many livestock producers who have been feeding out."
