December 2013 Summary

In Brief:
Mostly dry for the first two weeks, then mainly wet with frequent high winds.  Very mild by day and night with no frost.  


Temperature: [Minimum]:
Night-time temperatures ranged from 5.5 degs C on the night ending 1st December to 16.0 degs C on the night ending 16th, giving an average of 9.56 degs C.   All these figures are the highest ever for December at this location since at least 2002.
The nights ending 13th and 16th were also milder than any night during November [2013].  
Previous highest records for December nights were: Minimum: 3.1 degs C; Maximum: 13.3 degs C; Average: 8.74 degs C - all set in 2012.
It was also the first December since at least 2002 with no night-time minima below 5 degs C.  2012 again came the closest with just two, and there were four in November [2013].

Temperature [Maximum]:
Daytime temperatures ranged from 9.3 degs C on the 24th, to 17.0 degs C on the 16th, giving an average of 13.65 degs C.  As with nights, all these figures are the highest ever for December since at least 2002.
The average was higher than the average for November [2013]!
Previous highest records for December days were: Minimum: 9.0 degs C [2007]; Maximum: 16.3 degs C [2012]; Average: 12.48 degs C [2012].

Rainfall:
172.7 mm of rain fell during December 2013, somewhat surprisingly making it the driest December since 2010, however the first 11 days of the month saw only 1.2 mm, and the last two Decembers were very wet.  December 2012 saw 288.9 mm.  November 2013 had 107.7 mm.
The wettest day of December 2013 was the 23rd with 29.9 mm.  There were six completely dry days and eight days with no measurable rain, none since the 12th.
Cumulatively 1228.2 mm of rain fell during 2013, compared to 1502.6 mm in 2012, which equates to -18.3 %.

Thunder:
Thunder was heard on the 19th.

Wind and Pressure:
There were notably high winds on 14th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 26th and 30th.
Pressure dropped from 1016 mbs to 992 mbs during the 24 hours ending 2200 on the 18th, and from 1012.5 mbs to 978 mbs during the 24 hours ending 2200 on the 23rd.