Heavy rain due across region as front sweeps in

Heavy rain is forecast over the district in the next couple of days.

Wanganui farmers will be putting the rain dances on hold with the MetService forecasting some heavy rain to sweep over the district in the next couple of days.

The region may not be experiencing drought conditions but it has been very dry and rain expected last month didn't come to much. In fact one farm in the Waimarino area recorded just 11mm of rain in January, 39mm in February and about 60mm last month.

But now forecasters are predicting rainfall up to warning levels for the central North today and tomorrow.

A trough over the Tasman Sea has pushed a slow-moving front over the upper South Island and it is expected to move north today, bringing the rain with it.

The MetService said heavy rain was expected to cover North Taranaki across to Mt Ruapehu, including Tongariro National Park and may continue through much of tomorrow. And that rain is expected to affect much of the Wanganui district across into the Manawatu.

Nor-westerly winds are pushing the rain our way but temperatures remain unseasonably high. Daytime temperatures stay around 23C for the rest of the week with an overnight low of 16C but that will drop to an overnight of 10C on Friday as a southerly moves in.