'Massively needed': downpour a lifeline for crops, but not enough for livestock

However, livestock farmers will still face hard times "for a long while yet".

Albury airport recorded 31.6 millimetres of rainfall - equivalent to the monthly total for April - on Thursday night and Friday morning, May 30-31.

It was the only bit of rain Albury had seen - except for 0.4 millimetres on May 10 - during the whole month.

It brings the total rainfall for autumn to just 85.8 millimetres, compared to the historical average of 137.5 millimetres.

Overnight, the wet weather spread across the Border, with Rutherglen recording 44.8 millimetres, Mount Buller 76.6 millimetres, Mount Hotham 115.8 millimetres, Wangaratta 38.8 millimetres, Benalla 40.6 millimetres and Deniliquin 39 millimetres.

Mr Ronald said the rain was "absolutely, massively needed".

"All the crop was sown, but most of it hadn't even emerged out of the ground yet," he said.

"Everything will come out of the ground now from a cropping point of view, and that's good.

"For the people purely just cropping, then that rain (Thursday) night, marks the start of the season - but it's really late."

However, Mr Ronald said further rain was needed to prevent frost damage as temperatures drop in winter.

"This rain now means (crops) are going to be healthy for a period, but there's every chance we're going to get frost coming after this unless we get repeat rain," he said.

"But there'll be a short period of time where you can get on and do things."

For livestock farmers, Mr Ronald said Thursday night's rain is not enough to revive pastures.

"For the graziers, though, it's really tough - that rain doesn't make grass," he said. "And when the frost comes, again, the grass won't come.

"For people with livestock, they're just going to have to keep feeding and feeding and feeding pretty well till spring. It's hard.

"There's a big divide between cropping and pastures at the moment."