Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Heavy rain on its way to Whanganui for the start of summer

Whanganui Chronicle
3 Dec, 2023 02:07 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Heavy rain could be hitting the central North Island in the first week of December. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Heavy rain could be hitting the central North Island in the first week of December. Photo/ Bevan Conley

Whanganui’s summer season may start off with heavy rain, according to Niwa’s seasonal climate outlook.

Heavy rain is possible for early December, with stronger winds than normal and warm, humid conditions anticipated for the summer months ahead in the river city.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) has released its seasonal climate outlook for December to February and for the Central North Island region.

After the rainy start, drier-than-normal conditions are expected to follow.

Temperatures are equally likely to be near average or above average and spells of warm, humid conditions are likely during December.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Across the whole country, there are similar spells of hot, humid conditions that look likely, and localised marine heatwaves may form in the months ahead affecting sea temperatures.

But people should also be prepared for the wind to pick up, as wind speeds are expected to be stronger than normal.

Soil moisture levels and river flows are about equally likely to be below normal or near normal.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

El Nino’s ongoing impact through summer

El Nino’s continuing presence was felt during November, and there’s a 100 per cent chance of that persisting through summer.

The combination of an atypical El Nino alongside other active weather systems brings an increased chance of a more variable-than-normal start to the summer season.

Despite the non-traditional El Nino impacts, an increased awareness around the risk for dry spells is recommended across several regions which may contribute to water restrictions, particularly in areas that may not have had them in recent years.

As of late November, fire danger was low across the country, but variable fire danger conditions are expected in December.

Property owners are encouraged to keep on top of grass growth, as grass may dry out and become a wild fire fuel source.

As the summer season progresses, the eastward propagation of the warmest water in the tropical Pacific may see circulation patterns become more El Nino-like.

More frequent high pressure to the north of the country will also reduce, but not eliminate, the chance for ex-tropical cyclones.




Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.



Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Search for missing man continues after car pulled from river

10 Jul 11:09 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Community group seeks to manage historic reserve

10 Jul 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Chaos as Ruapehu council rejects officials' advice on water

10 Jul 03:15 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Search for missing man continues after car pulled from river

Search for missing man continues after car pulled from river

10 Jul 11:09 PM

Kahukura Gill was not inside the car, which was found in the Whanganui River on July 2.

Community group seeks to manage historic reserve

Community group seeks to manage historic reserve

10 Jul 06:00 PM
Chaos as Ruapehu council rejects officials' advice on water

Chaos as Ruapehu council rejects officials' advice on water

10 Jul 03:15 AM
Strong winds bring weather warning and watches

Strong winds bring weather warning and watches

10 Jul 03:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP