South Australian farmers say the heavy falls recorded across parts of the state over the weekend might be enough to turn their failing seasons around.
source: @JamesHeff80
There was 10–30mm in the gauges across towns in the Mid North and Yorke Peninsula, with parts of the Lower Eyre Peninsula and the South East seeing rainfall events in excess of 60mm.
The Adelaide Hills and Mount Lofty Ranges saw the heaviest rain across the weekend, with rainfall totals reaching up to 120mm in some areas by Sunday evening.
Although the state saw its most severe weather conditions so far this winter, no-one was complaining with the much-needed rain easing record dry conditions for grain producers in parts of the Eyre Peninsula and central Yorke Peninsula.
Cheaper cherries come Christmas
The wet winter weather over the weekend has also been welcomed by Adelaide Hills cherry growers, still recovering from a disastrous harvest last year.
Lenswood organic cherry grower Gary Beaton said they got 120 millimetres of rain over the weekend, ahead of the important blossom season.
"Whilst there was some wind it wasn't like the savage wind that caused most of damage last year, so this rain is great and we welcome it," Mr Beaton said.
Last year freak storms wiped out the majority of the cherry crop in the Adelaide Hills, with most farmers only able to harvest about 20 per cent of their crop.
The damage resulted in high cherry prices, as much as $28kg, however Mr Beaton expects they could be $5 to $10 cheaper this year.
