Whanganui's weekend weather expected to be fine before gloom returns

Whanganui's weekend will bring a brief respite from wet weather. Photo / Bevan Conley

Twenty-two millimetres of rain fell in Whanganui overnight on Wednesday, but MetService meteorologist Amy Rossiter said the dark skies were expected to clear by early Thursday evening.

Big Whanganui events such as the inaugural Sound Valley music festival at Oceanview Speedway and the Cancer Society's Relay for Life at Cooks Gardens will stretch over the whole weekend, but fine weather is expected for both Saturday and Sunday.

"Everything is on an easing trend and we've had a front pass across the North island overnight [Wednesday] and early [Thursday] morning," Rossiter said.

A slow-moving low was now sitting out towards Gisborne, directing an easterly air flow over the North Island, Rossiter said.

"Once Whanganui's rain clears today, the flow tilts more east-southeast and it will start to fine up.

"A ridge then builds in over the South Island and lower North Island region so it should clear up in time for the weekend.

"Rain will ease to a few showers, and that should clear out by [Thursday] evening.

Friday was looking "pretty sunny", Rossiter said, with a high of 21C and the chance of high cloud coming over.

"The weather is just improving throughout the weekend, with that ridge moving over late Saturday into Sunday," Rossiter said.

Temperatures over the weekend are expected to reach 23-24C.

That fine weather would be short-lived though, Rossiter said.

"We have another front that is approaching the far south late into the weekend, and it'll hit Fiordland on Sunday.

"That is expected to move up the country, and it should reach Whanganui early to mid next week."