June third wettest on record but July should be a lot drier

It was an exceptionally wet June in Wanganui - which will come as a surprise to nobody.

Georgina Griffiths from the MetService said 236mm of rain fell at the Spriggens Park recording station during the month of June - representing more than two-and-a-half times the average June rainfall.

Ms Griffiths said it was the third wettest June on record and the fifth wettest month ever in Wanganui since records began in 1890.

Much of the rain - nearly 140mm - fell on June 19-20, an event which caused widespread flooding throughout Wanganui, Rangitikei and South Taranaki.

The month started warm, with a high temperature of 21C recorded on June 2 - the third highest temperature recorded in June in Wanganui. The lowest temperature was -0.1C on the morning of June 23.

The good news is that July is expected to be drier than usual, Ms Griffiths said.

"July is traditionally a rather wet month in New Zealand, but this year, a combination of more southerlies than usual and spells of high pressure ... is expected once we get past this weekend. That means that we're expecting a relatively dry July, overall."

July rainfall totals are expected to be below normal for many regions of the country, including Wanganui, Ms Griffiths said.