General December Weather

[spwill]

Back to summer today,max 25C for inland parts of Auckland, sunshine/ cloud mix, weak sea breeze convergence cloud, dewpoint 15C.

[Manukau heads obs]

I was in taupo yesterday
got a nice thunderstorm there yesterday afternoon
I was also in the rotorua area earlier in the afternoon, tramping with the kids....reporora was in the sunshine and heating up nicely...hence a good thunderstorm that initially developed there and then moved N
when we left to come home today, 11:30 the convection was firing nicely to the NW of taupo, on the ranges there
they got a good thunderstorm there a little while later

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Cold evening here.
Nearly had to light the fire

[03Stormchaser]

Cold evening here.
Nearly had to light the fire

I ended up lightning the fire here, why not when the heating is free

[mikestormchaser]

Good effort to chase yesterday Spwill.

In Queenstown where skies are clear this morning. Hoping to catch a thunderstorm or two in the coming days in the south.

Monday isnt looking to shabby for the south island nzstorm, might have to come up to the plains and chase with us

[melja]

Just on 50mm here in Rangiora since xmas afternoon so a vey good drink, but the last 12 days or so have been below average temps and only 30 odd hours of sun and the month as a whole is around -0.4 below normal so more heat and sun would be good.

[spwill]

Just on 50mm here in Rangiora since xmas afternoon so a vey good drink, but the last 12 days or so have been below average temps and only 30 odd hours of sun and the month as a whole is around -0.4 below normal so more heat and sun would be good.

The North Canterbury area has been hit hard, I feel for those camping in that area. It is a shame there is so much unsettled weather around NZ in recent days, the biggest holiday week of the year.

[Richard]

There's been 43mm of rain here since xmas afternoon,maybe not the nicest camping weather but least its not cold

[CHCH Weather Chaser]

There's been 43mm of rain here since xmas afternoon,maybe not the nicest camping weather but least its not cold

Identical amount here Richard. Some sunshine on the cards tomorrow, at least for a time!

[spwill]

maybe not the nicest camping weather but least its not cold

1 day of rain can be fun when you are camping but 4 days in a row might be a bit much

[TonyT]

Just under 70mm here so far

[Storm Struck]

41.8mm here since xmas day, although I really need to spider proof the gauge sick of the visitors giving me false readings.
As I said 22mm recorded from yesterdays heavy showers, maybe some more big belts this afternoon/evening with abit of thunder thrown in.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

It is a shame there is so much unsettled weather around NZ in recent days, the biggest holiday week of the year.

That's why I take my holidays in February.
Anyway, 59.4mm of rain here since Christmas day, to 2:30pm today.
Very moist conditions. I hope things don't start to rot?

[Richard]

Just under 70mm here so far

That's quite a bit,though not surprised that some areas received much more than others close by,a cloud burst passed within a few k's at 5.00pm yesterday that caused surface flooding

[Manukau heads obs]

the farmers in canty that had damage to the irragators from the big spring NW storms will be pleased about the recent rain

[Richard]

Its so nice to see the sun now out this morning, 16deg ATM

[Michael]

Rounding out the year and month,certainly november was far better and summerlike than this month though had a good week in the middle of the month here,october was a good spring month with westerlies or WNW dominating than the sw and september was ok too,winter was certainly frost free,no frosts,coldest may/june but not freezing,april may was wet and of course the dry summer to the end of march.

[Michael]

even last summer,a drought year the holiday/christmas period was awful.most years it is and comes right in early january.

It is a shame there is so much unsettled weather around NZ in recent days, the biggest holiday week of the year.

That's why I take my holidays in February.
Anyway, 59.4mm of rain here since Christmas day, to 2:30pm today.
Very moist conditions. I hope things don't start to rot?

[Orion]

A beautifully-defined nor'west arch visible this afternoon

[Nev]

Looks like December was only warm enough to make 2013 NZ's 3rd warmest year on record.

Some very preliminary Dec temp and rainfall figures for the main centres ℅ NIWA…

Code: Select all

December 2013 Average Temps, Rainfall and their departure from normal

Site                      T-max °C       T-min °C       T-mean °C    Rainfall mm
 
Auckland, Mangere        22.5  +0.9     15.4  +0.6     19.0  +0.8     115  135% 
Auckland Aero            22.3  +0.5     14.9  ±0.0     18.6  +0.3     115  133%
Tauranga Aero            22.8  +0.6     14.5  +0.6     18.7  +0.7     149  157%
Hamilton Aero            22.6  +0.4     11.3  -0.3     16.9  ±0.0      98   94% 
Wellington, Kelburn      20.0  +1.4     13.5  +1.2     16.7  +1.3      51   62% 
Christchurch Aero        21.8  +0.7     11.2  +0.7     16.5  +0.7      71  151% 
Dunedin, Musselburgh     17.0  -0.3     10.7  +0.3     13.8  ±0.0     110  137%   

Edit: Revised Wgtn and Mangere T-maxs

[David]

Thanks for the stats Nev.
Is the Mangere station right by the coast? It's mean min for December is 1.4°C higher than what I recorded

[Nev]

Yes, near the coast. The Mangere site is about 5 km N of the airport, by the old wastewater treatment plant, although it has been resited within a few hundred metres a few times. During the late 2000's it was found to be under-reading for much of the time. I think they may have substituted Ak Aero in the odd monthly climate summary. Even though both sites have virtually the same long-term averages, Mangere now seems to be recording higher mean-temps than Akld Aero, rather than the other way round.

I also wonder if the Manukua's shallow mudflats on a hot, sunny day at low tide would affect the temps of both sites.

Edit: Corrected a few minor details.

[Nev]

Hmm… According to Jim Salinger, 2013 was NZ's 2nd warmest on record…

'NZ's warming up - expert' - NZ Herald

[Nev]

Here's NIWA's preliminary, 'December 2013 National Climate Summary'.


The national average temp was 16.6C, or 1.0C above normal.

Clyde again recorded the month's highest temp of 34.2C and Middlemarch the lowest with -1.2C.