BEGA Valley residents are carefully watching the skies in anticipation of substantial rain this weekend.
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Everyone from small-scale home gardeners to farmers are anxiously waiting to see if the predicted heavy rain arrives after an extremely dry winter.
Weatherzone has updated its prediction for rain from 20mm on Sunday to a 90 per cent chance of 40-80mm.
A high pressure system off South Australia and a trough currently lying over inland Queensland and NSW are both expected to become mobile by Saturday and push rain from NSW’s north-west towards the south-east.
The rain is predicted to weaken by Monday afternoon.
The lack of rain combined with frequent gusty weather throughout June and July has dried out significant areas of the Bega Valley.
In some parts of the shire there has been less than 3mm of rain since mid-June.
Grass fires usually seen in spring have already started, with the Rural Fire Service (RFS) needing nine tankers and 22 volunteers to extinguish a grass fire started by machinery earlier this month (BDN 8/8).
Meanwhile, roadwork on Parker St, Bega, scheduled for this weekend has been postponed due to forecast rain.
Bega Valley Shire Council will advise the public of rescheduled dates.