But not until eastern parts of the country, from Balclutha to Timaru, endure a weekend of heavy rain.
Between 100-140mm was expected to fall in the eastern hills between 8pm yesterday and about midnight tonight, MetService forecaster Oliver Druce said last night.
"It won't be unusually intense rain, but there will be a lot of it over about 30 hours." The heaviest falls were likely to be this morning, easing off to light rain tomorrow and showers on Monday.
Mr Druce said people should expect smaller rivers which began in the eastern hills to rise somewhat. River levels were still below average last night, according to the Otago Regional Council's automated telephone service. Most river levels were steady, but the Kakanui was rising.
While Dunedin had been dogged by a sou'westerly weather system for the past week, the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) climate outlook through to April was for average or above average temperatures and normal or below normal rainfall.
MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said eastern Otago weather had been pretty close to normal for a February, except for the low pressure system off the Chatham Islands, which produced eight days of sou'westers.
Those sou'westers had reduced the number of visitors to the St Clair Salt Water Pool from 1000 at peak times in January to about 200.
"It's very disappointing with six weeks still to go in the season," manager Gaye Brooks said.
Mr McDavitt said early February temperatures hit 33degC (on the 8th) and the average temperature for the month was 14degC, only one degree less than the long-term mean. Temperatures at night were still in double figures.
"You're just past the peak of summer."
Rainfall was only 26mm, short of the average 58mm, but with the up to 150mm of rain forecast for the weekend, it could still reach that by the end of the month, he said.
Otago Regional Council environmental information and science director John Threlfall said the council was monitoring river levels in parts of North Otago at the greatest risk of flooding. Parts of the Taieri catchment and Dunedin city were also at risk, he said.
Musselburgh had so far had 103 hours of sunshine compared with the monthly average of 156.
Dunedin hydrologist Dave Stewart said the country was being impacted by a La Nina weather pattern similar to last summer, but it was producing different weather to last February.
"It's not ideal summer weather. It remains to be seen how long this weather pattern will last."
However, the region was likely to get more summer weather in March and April.