It's hot! Whanganui cracks temperature records

Brother and sister Te Amaroa and Te Okengaroa Nicholson cool off in Whanganui's Kowhai Park on Tuesday. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui's temperature went through the roof on Tuesday with the city cracking the 32 degree mark and a record-equalling high at the airport.

MetService forecaster Tuporo Marsters said 32.4degC was recorded in the city just after 4pm.

"There was a really warm nor'westerly and that's enough to pick the temperatures up there," Marsters said.

At 2.30pm the temperature at Whanganui Airport was 30.8degC and by 4pm it was up to 31.3degC, equalling the high recorded at the airport in January 2011.

The city temperatures, not those recorded at the airport, are used in the MetService data provided to media companies and seen on the television weather news.

It was scorching on Whanganui's central city streets on Tuesday afternoon, with pedestrians hugging the shade and treasuring breezes.

Relief is near however. Whanganui's temperature is predicted to sink to a mere 22degC high on Wednesday, as a southwest change moves up the North Island.

The mercury is not predicted to hit 26degC again until Friday, and some rain is possible across the weekend.