Whanganui weather: Temperatures 2C higher than normal for January; patches of blue sky expected this weekend

Beachgoers enjoying the sun at Castlecliff last month. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui experienced a warmer-than-average January, with temperatures day and night about 2C above normal.

The city recorded its second-highest January daytime temperature since records began in 1937 – 31.1C on January 19.

Niwa climate scientist Gregor Macara said it was also fairly dry in Whanganui.

“We’ve got two climate stations operating there – one at Spriggens Park and one at the airport,” he said.

“The Spriggens Park site recorded 34mm of rain throughout January, which is 59 per cent of normal. At the airport, there was 46mm of rain – 90 per cent of normal .”

The low temperature on January 21 was 21.4C, the third-highest daily low since that record began in 1972.

The hottest January temperature in the country – 35.1C – was recorded at Hanmer Forest in Canterbury on January 13.

While no new Whanganui records were set last month, the 2C average above normal was still considerable, Macara said.

“Overnight temperatures were 1.8C above normal as well and that’s when you really tend to notice it,” he said.

“If it‘s staying warm at night as well you’re not getting a chance to refresh.”

Whanganui’s mean overnight temperature for January was 15.9C.

Meanwhile, MetService meteorologist John Law said Whanganui would be mostly dry over the weekend, with a daytime high of 25C on Saturday and 21C on Sunday.

“There might be a couple of showers floating around but that is further inland – heading into the Whanganui hill country.

“As we get to Saturday night into Sunday morning, a southerly change comes up, with an overnight low of 13C.

“That brings a fairly blustery start to Sunday and a few showers. You could have a bit of lie-in perhaps.”

However, Sunday’s showers should clear “pretty early on”.

Sunday night into Monday morning will bring the coolest temperature of the year so far.

“It will get down to about 8C, which is a bit of a change, but it’s looking like a run of fine weather for the start of next week,” Law said.

“For the weekend, there will be patches of blue sky on Saturday – earlier rather than later – with more to come later on Sunday.”

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.