Maitland has only received 33 millimetres of rain this year - including 9mm which fell in January.

This time last year, in the grips of drought, the city had recorded 138mm. 

When rain clouds roared into the city on Thursday farmers at the Slow Food Earth Market were looking to the sky and crossing their fingers.But a few spits was all that came.

The city can expect up to 12 millimetres of rain between Friday and Wednesday, the Bureau of Meteorology forecast shows. 

The only reprieve on offer is the temperature, with predictions of high 20s and low 30s for the next week. 

Read more: The Big Dry - everything you need to know about the drought

"There will be showers right through the weekend and into next week and they will be mainly in the morning and at night," Weatherwatch meteorologist Don White said.

There is a 50 per cent chance an El Nino - which brings high temperatures and lower rainfall, could form over the next few months. 

There is usually a 25 per cent chance at this time of year. 

A break was predicted for autumn late last year but the new season is now looking bleak. 

Temperatures are set to be higher than average for most of Australia and there is no meaningful rainfall on the way for the Hunter. 

"We expect autumn to be marginally better than spring, so there could be some occasional falls, we don't expect it to be sufficient to overcome the deficiencies that are already established."