Rainy start to a chilly day in Whanganui

After a rainy start to the morning in Whanganui, showers are predicted to ease. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui woke to steady rain as an active cold front passed through between 5am and 6am on Tuesday.

There was 5mm of rain between 6pm and 6am, MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said. Most of it fell in the last hour.

More showers are predicted for the rest of the day, but they will happen on and off, and they may not be heavy.

At the same time westerly winds will average 45km/h, which is quite strong, and they will gust to 72km/h.

Combined with a top temperature of 16C, it would make for quite a chilly-feeling day, Makgabutlane said.

The temperature is predicted to increase slightly to a high of 18C on Wednesday, returning to the level of the previous weekend.

More showers are predicted on Wednesday, as a second cold front moves through. It is proceeding up the South Island now, with more westerly winds.

Clouds are predicted to clear over Whanganui on Thursday, with a high of 19C.

So far this year 257mm of rain had been recorded at Whanganui Airport, Makgabutlane said.

"That's a little bit lower than the average of 329mm for this time in the year."