Weekend weather: Showers forecast for Whanganui and Mardi Gras festival

Humid temperatures and isolated showers lie ahead for this weekend in Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

A weekend of cloudy conditions and showers lies ahead for Whanganui, with a wet evening forecast for Ohakune Mardi Gras festivalgoers.

MetService Meteorologist Amy Roffiter said there would be light showers on Friday that would head into Saturday.

“There is a slow moving, low pressure system that’s affecting the North Island and is directing a north-east flow over the region.

“Whanganui is fairly sheltered from this but we are expecting a few spots of rain on Friday and into Saturday there will be isolated showers.”

Roffiter said it would be a very cloudy weekend with low sun but humid conditions.

“There’s quite a humid air mass at the moment so temperatures are warmer than average.

“We’re looking at maximum temperatures of 19 degrees for Friday and Saturday, then 20 degrees on Sunday.”

The temperatures are above average for this time of year, with the average temperature in June being 14 degrees.

“It’s warmer than average and heading into the night it will stay above normal temperatures, with an 11 degree overnight temperature on Saturday.

“The weather is improving towards the latter half of the weekend and so people should plan outdoor activities for then.”

Roffiter said further inland at Ohakune, Mardi Gras festivalgoers would be more exposed to the rain.

“It may be a wet evening and people should be prepared.

“Saturday night is looking like isolated showers, but at this stage the rain doesn’t look too heavy or persistent, so we may get some gaps depending on the sheltering from the mountains.”

Overnight temperatures could drop to 7 degrees on Saturday night in the Ruapehu District.