Easter weather: Warm nights, rain and muggy conditions for Whanganui; wind watch in surrounding areas

Whanganui can expect rain, clouds and warm temperatures this Easter weekend. Photo / NZME

A weather system moving down the North Island will bring muggy conditions to Whanganui through Easter weekend.

“It’s a subtropical system, so it’s going to be very warm overnight with overcast conditions and rain,” MetService meteorologist Surprise Mhlongo said.

The rain will appear from Friday, easing over Saturday and Sunday, but is expected to return on Monday afternoon.

“It’s not as significant rainfall amounts as compared to the far north of the island,” Mhlongo said.

“It will feel like persistent rain, but it won’t be heavy.”

Taranaki (about and west of Taranaki Mounga), Taumarunui and Taihape have a strong wind watch in place from 6am Thursday to 6am Friday.

MetService said easterly winds could approach severe gales in exposed places.

There was a moderate chance of the watches being upgraded to warnings, and people in these areas should keep up to date with forecasts.

Some windy conditions are expected in Whanganui ahead of the weekend but will ease on Friday.

Mhlongo said the wind may pick up again later on Saturday, but it would be moderate at most.

“It’s going to be warm nights for the next few days. On Friday we’re expecting a minimum of 18C.”

Throughout the rest of the weekend, overnight lows of 17C are forecast.

Friday and Saturday have forecast highs of 26C, dropping to 24C on Sunday and Monday.

The weekend would be “mostly cloudy”, Mhlongo said, rounding out the trio of heat, rain, and clouds for muggy conditions typical of a subtropical system.

Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.