Riverina residents brace for more than a month's worth of rain

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting widespread rainfalls of up to 50mm to descend on the Riverina between Friday and Sunday.

If that prediction proves correct, Wagga will more than top the city's long term April average of 40.4mm rain.

Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said residents across the region can expect a "decent soaking rain."

"From Friday morning through to Sunday morning some parts of the Riverina could see a month's worth of rain," Mr Narramore said.

He said residents in Wagga can expect between 25mm and 50mm during this period, with similar falls predicted for Griffith and Cootamundra.

Further west at Hay, he said local residents can expect lower falls in the vicinity of 15mm to 25mm.

While discounting the likelihood of major flooding, Mr Narramore said this week's major rain event is only expected to result in minor inundation.

"Heavy falls could lead to some minor localised flash flooding, but we're not expecting a big flood event at this stage," he said.

The predicted deluge is welcome news for farmers across the region, coming on the back of several weeks of dry, warm weather.

NSW Farmers Wagga branch chair Alan Brown said if the promise for rain does deliver, farmers will be scrambling to get on the paddock and put some crops in the ground.

"If the forecast is right this time and we get some decent rain this event, it will trigger some serious [reaction from farmers], because anyone wanting to put those non-seasonal canola crops in will go ahead on the back of this," Mr Brown said.

He said farmers will also look at sowing grazing wheat varieties.

"The dual purpose crops will go in big time," he said.

Mr Brown said there has already been some limited sowing, but many farmers held off due to the lack of rain in recent weeks.

In Wagga during the month of March the Bureau recorded just 20.6mm.

"20mm just wasn't enough," he said.

But Mr Brown said it's still early in the season, with some weeks to go before the main crops go in the ground.

"Main season canola crops will go in about Anzac Day, while main season wheat and barley crops will go in during May," he said.