Whanganui weather forecast: What to expect for New Year’s Eve

Evening rain could bring a dampener to New Year's Eve parties in Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

Plans for New Year’s Eve could come with a dampener as a wet weather system is looking to roll over the region.

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor said Whanganui could expect high temperatures for the days leading up to the new year.

“We’re seeing highs of 26C and 27C right through to the weekend,” O’Connor said.

Temperatures weren’t expected to ease up much overnight either, with overnight lows of 17C and 18C forecast for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

A tropical weather system will make its way over New Zealand, meaning the hot temperatures will be met with cloudy and humid conditions.

While Thursday will start off fine, the system will make its way over Whanganui by the afternoon.

“Things will get cloudy and you’ll feel it get muggy as well,” O’Connor said.

“As we get overnight and into the early hours of Friday then there’s going to be a bit of rain pushing through.”

By Saturday the system will start to move away from the country, so conditions will be slightly cooler and less humid than the days previous.

As for New Year’s Eve, O’Connor said there was a chance a wet weather system could arrive by the evening.

A colder front will push through carrying this wet system.

O’Connor said it was hard to tell currently when the system would move through the district, and whether it would affect any plans for parties.

“It could come through in the afternoon and have the evening be all right, it could hold off a bit and be fine right through and then show up overnight.

“So don’t scrap your New Year’s plans just yet,” she said.

Finn Williams is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. He joined the Chronicle in early 2022 and regularly covers stories about business, events and emergencies. He also enjoys writing opinion columns on whatever interests him.