Recent storm activity has delivered some small falls of rain - none more welcome than the 25.8 mm (one inch) of rain recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology’s weather station at Young Airport on December 27.

With the total December rainfall reaching 35.2 mm (1.5 inches), a further 10 mm in January may not have filled dams, but it provided light relief for many locals.

The local State Emergency Service (SES) reported a quiet festive period, with one callout to a Lynch Street residence.

Local controller Colleen Clancy said a tree fell on a shed over the New Year weekend and the SES organised for it to be removed.

She says the tree was diseased, but a violent windstorm the previous night may have been its last gasp.

The windstorm claimed another victim in a tree falling on a property at Thuddungra, narrowly missing the house and taking out a Hills Hoist in its descent.

Local agronomist Paul Parker said because of the storm activity much of the rainfall across the district was variable but 2015 falls (600 mm or 24 inches) were slightly below the long term average of 650 mm (or 26 inches).

“We had good falls up until July 2015 which set the farmers up well with some very good looking crops,” he said, “but then we had several months of extended dry weather in August, September and November which left things extremely dry.

“If we’d had another 30-40 mm we would have had a year of extremely good - record breaking yields,” he said.

Mr Parker said rain of the past month - particularly the heavy downpours - would have added to dams.

“Pasture growth, particularly summer lucerne, would also have responded dramatically to the outcomes -  there should be a lot of green around the district now.”

But it may have impacted in reducing quality of paddock pastures.

“But on the positive side a lot of the small grain that escaped harvest would be germinating into green pick for stock,” he said.

He said it was important that farmers keep weeds under control in stubble paddocks to minimise loss of nutrients and maximise soil moisture.

“You’re better off controlling them now when they’re smaller and require less herbicide - that’ll reduce overall costs,” Mr Parker said.

He warned that despite the recent fairly mild conditions, when things warm up again livestock producers should be on alert for worms and flystrike in sheep.

Bureau of Meteorology forecasts indicate January to March daytime and night-time temperatures are likely to be cooler than average across the southeast, including southeast SA, southwest NSW, western to central Victoria and most of Tasmania. 

Elsewhere, temperatures are likely to be warmer than average.