Where rain has fallen and what impact it’s had in past 24 hours

Harvest in some parts of North East Victoria and the eastern NSW Riverina has been put on hold as up to 40mm fell overnight. See where got the most rain.

Spring storms have put the brakes on harvest in some areas as grain growers take a forced break from stripping.

Warm weather earlier this week was ideal for many trying to harvest across parts of the Mallee and southern NSW but the past 24 hours has put things on hold in some areas.

The rain was not expected as the Bureau of Meteorology continues to forecast El Nino weather conditions.

But the rain fell in a distinct area, avoiding the west of the state and mostly across central and eastern Victoria with the biggest falls in the north-east of the state as well as the eastern Riverina.

Storms have produced up to 40mm of rain across southern NSW, putting harvest back.

Rainfall totals have included 41mm in Albury, 40mm at Holbrook, 19mm in Rutherglen and 12mm in Mulwala while Wagga Wagga registered 16mm in the past 24 hours.

Other rainfall amounts include 33mm at Omeo, 10mm at Mansfield, 12mm in Yea and 9.2mm in Traralgon.

But just 0.4mm fell in Swan Hill in the past 12 hours, and many centres recorded no rainfall showing just how fickle the storms were.

Elders Albury agronomist Chris Toohey said this week’s rain should not have a detrimental effect on crops.

“It really does depend on the conditions after the rain but if it is windy, I can’t see there being too much impact,” Mr Toohey said.

“It is really ideal for those who have lucerne or pasture as those paddocks were starting to show some stress.”

Mr Toohey said rain should not affect canola, either that which is still standing or that which has been windrowed.

There would be some damage to quality of hay that had been cut, but Mr Toohey said a lot of hay had been made in the past week and so many had already dodged this rainfall event.

While rain was heavy and fell in storms, most areas did not see hail, though Mr Toohey said there were isolated areas near Walla Walla, NSW, that could have been affected.