‘Break out those woollen jumpers’: Single-digit temperatures forecast for Whanganui dawn service

With single-digit temperatures forecast for Anzac Day morning in Whanganui, dawn service attendees are advised to dress warmly. Photo / NZME

A cold Anzac Day dawn service and warmer than usual days are forecast for Whanganui this long weekend.

A weather system moving up the lower North Island was expected to bring a reprieve from Wednesday’s showers, MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said.

“There’s going to be some colder, drier air.

“In general, we’re seeing some colder temperatures come across the country and clearer skies which should be good for those dawn services coming up on Friday.”

The forecast low of 7C on Friday was expected to coincide with the dawn service, with Pawley recommending attendees “break out those woollen jumpers”.

Despite the cool morning, a high of 20C was expected.

“There might be some cloud coming in from the afternoon but, in general, it should be a pretty decent day,” Pawley said.

Nothing more than light winds were forecast through the long weekend.

Moving into the weekend, warmer-than-average temperatures could be expected as cloud cover increased.

“There will be winds directing more northerly that might bring a bit of moisture down,” Pawley said.

“At the moment we’re projecting that it may get up to 23C on Sunday which is pretty warm for this time of year considering your average is about 19C.”

Saturday and Sunday were forecast to have lows in the early teens.

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.