DROUGHT has taken a firmer grip on rural NSW despite torrential rain and floods across the state late last year.
The latest official figures show almost 82 per cent of NSW was in drought early this month, 1 per cent up on a month earlier.
Almost 14 per cent was marginally in drought, with less than 5 per cent considered satisfactory.
NSW Rural Affairs Minister Steve Whan said some of the best rain for many years had fallen late last month in central and northern areas of the state.
"But it came too late to improve the January figures and has not yet been enough to turn around this devastating drought,'' he said.
"The recent rainfall events occurred against a backdrop of decade-long rainfall deficits and record high temperatures that have severely stressed water supplies.
"And while the downpours have improved pasture conditions and soil moisture, they are unlikely to have greatly increased summer crop plantings.''
The figures showed water storage levels at 26.6 per cent of total capacity, down 2.7 per cent on last month and 1.2 per cent lower than a year earlier.
