The wait for follow-up rain to the recent deluge may not be too long, with a further downpour in the ACT possible by the end of the week.
Since the rain began at 3am on Friday, Canberra Airport has recorded 46mm, Tuggeranong 76mm and Holt 77mm.
Most of the rain fell on Friday Canberra Airport receiving just 0.6mm in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday and another 0.2mm by 3pm. In Tuggeranong, 2mm fell in the 24 hours to 9am yesterday.
While the Friday downpour was welcomed by farming groups and authorities, it has not ended the drought. Follow-up rains are needed.
Clem Davis, of the Bureau of Meteorology, said most of the rain at the weekend was along the coast, Moruya recording 39mm, Batemans Bay 40mm, Narooma 72mm, Bega 24mm and Merimbula 34mm.
The forecast for Canberra today is cloudy with some drizzle this morning, clearing tomorrow, and warm and dry Wednesday and Thursday. However, a developing rain band could result in more heavy rain on Friday or Saturday.
Mr Davis said the recent falls were the best the region had had for 12 months. "It is a good start, but not the end of the drought," he said. "It was good, steady rain that soaked in."
Actew chief executive officer Paul Perkins said yesterday that the Bendora and Corin catchments had received 70mm since Friday.
While the rain initially also brought ash and silt, the waterways had settled yesterday.
"There is no problem with the water quality at all," he said.
The rain had also resulted in an extra 250 megalitres in the ACT's dams. "It is not a lot, but it is helpful," Mr Perkins said.
However, the rain would not stop further water restrictions, now likely to come into force in about a month.
Elsewhere, heavy rain caused flash flooding in Tamworth on Saturday night.
Tamworth State Emergency Service workers sandbagged a number of homes against flash-flooding on Saturday night and damage was limited to some rooms in a small number of homes.
SES spokeswoman Fiona Simpson said 46 calls for help were received from Tamworth residents after the downpour at about 10pm.
"There was heaps of debris floating about because we haven't had any rain for so long," she said.
Mudgee, in the state's central-west, was inundated on Friday night, flash floods entering about 40 homes and cutting roads.
The drought-ravaged town received more than 170mm in one 24-hour period. Sydney received further rainfall yesterday morning, but it stretched over a longer period and no flooding was reported.
"Even though we're getting rain in Sydney, it was slow and steady it's not sudden deluges," Ms Simpson said.
Queensland Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said it was still too early to contemplate the end of the drought despite good rainfalls over parts of Queensland at the weekend. Many areas in the south of the state received 20mm to 30mm.
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