Reprieve from wet weather expected for Whanganui after 10mm of rain fell in one hour

MetService says 10mm of rain fell over one hour in Whanganui on Wednesday. Photo / Bevan Conley

Wednesday was a soggy day for Whanganui with 10mm of rain falling in an hour but brighter skies are on the horizon.

MetService meteorologist Dan Miller said 16.2mm of rain fell between 2pm and 8pm, with 10mm falling between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.

“There was some pretty heavy rain around late afternoon into the early evening,” he said.

MetService classifies more than 6mm of rainfall over an hour as heavy rain.

Miller said the rain was caused in part by remnants of Tropical Cyclone Hale making its way over the country.

The cyclone caused unstable atmospheric conditions which produced strong updrafts, which are needed to create rainfall.

This coupled with warm temperatures produced rain and an increased chance of thunderstorms.

“There were some thunderstorms in the afternoon around the Hunterville-Mangaweka area,” he said.

What was left of one of those thunderstorms drifted over Whanganui, Miller said.

For the rest of the week, Miller expected the weather to become fine in the region as Hale moved to the east of the country.

As the cyclone moves on a high-pressure system is moving towards the North Island, meaning much drier conditions for the rest of this week and the beginning of next week.