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Friday, 2 January 2004
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - ACT METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE
Year ends with a wet and warm December in the ACT
The ACT was wetter than normal in December last year, with above average daytime temperatures
and well above average night-time temperatures.
Rainfall: A total of 87.4 millimetres of rain was recorded at Canberra Airport in December.
The rain fell over nine days. The December average is 52.0 mm over eight days. Thunderstorm activity
was associated with most of the rain on 2 and 3 December. By contrast, conditions were dry and hot
in the last week of the month. There were five days of thunderstorms in December (average four) and one day of hail
associated with the thunderstorm on the 2nd. Rainfall across the ACT was generally above average,
with more rain falling in western and northern suburbs than in the south. The highest reading for
the month was 97.8 mm at Corin Dam. The lowest was 54.8 mm at Tuggeranong.
Temperature: The mean daily maximum temperature in December was 27.0 degrees Celsius - above
the average of 26.0 degrees. The mean daily minimum temperature of 13.3 degrees was considerably
above the average of 11.2 degrees. There were 10 days of 30 degrees or more for the month,
three more than normal. There were no days of 35 degrees or more (average one). There were no frosts
for the month (average zero). The mean daily temperature (average of the daily maximum and minimum
temperatures) of 20.1 degrees was well above the long-term average of 18.6 degrees.
Although conditions were warmer than normal, the mean daily sunshine of 9.2 hours a day was
a little less than the average of 9.4 hours/day.
Other: December was not as windy as normal, with a mean daily wind run of 174 kilometres a day
(average 208 km/day). There was only one day of strong winds (average two). With wetter conditions and
less wind, the evaporation of 216.2 mm for the month was significantly less than the average of
251.8 mm. The average daily pressure of 1012.8 hectopascals was a little more than the average
of 1011.3 hPa.
Summary for Canberra airport, December 2003
Mean maximum temperature: 27.0°C (av 26.0°C)
Highest maximum temperature: 34.7°C (30 December)
Lowest maximum temperature: 19.0°C (6 December)
Mean minimum temperature: 13.3°C (av 11.2°C)
Highest minimum temperature: 18.3°C (19 December)
Lowest minimum temperature: 6.7°C (7 December)
Lowest grass temperature: 2.2°C (7 December)
Total monthly rainfall: 87.4 mm (av 52.0 mm)
Total monthly evaporation: 216.2 mm (av 251.8 mm)
Mean daily sunshine: 9.2 hours/day (av 9.4 hr/day)
Mean daily pressure: 1012.8 hPa (av 1011.3 hPa)
Mean daily wind run (at 2 metres): 174.0 km/day (av 208 km/day)
Ends
Further information:
Clem Davis, Canberra Meteorological Office, tel: (02) 6249 6269, e-mail: c.davis@bom.gov.au
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