MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW - ARMIDALE NSW

DECEMBER 2013

December 2013 was a warm and very dry month.
The rainfall total of 22.0 millimetres was the lowest for the month of December since 1941 (10.0 mm).

Numerous sunny days resulted in day temperatures being well above normal, but overnight temperatures were a little cooler than normal. There was one notable cold temperature extreme - see below.
Thunderstorm activity was unusually low with storms on just one day, the 16th when a number of storms passed over Armidale between noon and 6pm. No hail was observed during these storms.
Winds were mostly light to moderate westerlies.

Noteworthy events:
7th - After a cool clear night, the temperature dropped to a minimum of 0.4C at 6.15am with a light frost. This was the lowest December temperature since 7th December 2002 (-0.5C).

DECEMBER 2013 STATISTICS (long term averages in brackets)

Rainfall: 22.0 mm (89.0 mm)

Rain days: 6 (10)
2013 rainfall total: 636.4 mm (787.7 mm)

Average maximum temp: 26.7 deg (24.9 deg)

Average minimum temp: 10.3 deg (11.1 deg)

Highest maximum temp: 34.4 deg on the 29th

Lowest maximum temp: 17.4 deg on the 6th

Highest minimum temp: 16.4 deg on the 10th, 24th

Lowest minimum temp: 0.4 deg on the 7th

Fine sunny days: 17 (15)

Ideal weather days: 1 (0.4)

Days with thunderstorms: 1 (8)

Days with frosts: 1 (0.3)

Days with fogs: 2 (1)

Wind direction at 3pm & number of days: W: 15, E: 8, SW: 4, SE: 3, S: 1

Average daily pan evaporation: 5.4 mm (5.1 mm)

Thunderstorm details:

16th: 12.00-1.10pm - thunder heard, no rain
1.10-6.15pm - moderate, heavy & slight storms - 7.0 mm rain