Canberra
in December 2010: 2nd wettest December on record
- 2nd
wettest December on record.
- Wettest
start to December on record.
- Wettest
December day on record (3rd).
- Foggiest
December since 1960.
Rainfall
Canberra
Airport experienced its 2nd wettest December on record (records since
1939), with a total of 198.4 mm during December. This is well above the
historical average of 53.8 mm, and the wettest December since 1947
(215.2 mm, wettest on record). The rain fell on 12 days, with the most
significant falls on the 1st - 5th , totalling 138.8 mm. This was the
wettest start to December on record for Canberra, with the wettest
December day ever recorded at Canberra Airport on the 3rd (87.0 mm).
The 3rd was also the wettest day (in any month) in Canberra since
January 21st 1995, when 93.8 mm was recorded.
Throughout
the ACT, December totals were as high as 253.4mm at Tuggeranong, with
daily rainfall reaching 93.4mm at Nicholls on the 3rd. Additionally,
Tharwa General Store and the Canberra Botanical Gardens experienced
their wettest December on record during 2010. The heavy rainfall
resulted in flooding in the ACT region, including the inundation of the
nearby city of Queanbeyan.
Some sites had their highest total December rainfall on
record.
Temperature
The
average maximum temperature for Canberra Airport was 25.0°C , which is
below the historical average of 26.1°C and the coolest December since
1999 (24.5°C). Temperatures were consistently cool until the last days
of the month, with the only two days above 30°C (average 7 days)
occuring on the 30th and 31st, reaching 34.8°C at Tuggeranong on the
latter. Temperatures were particularly cold on the 20th, with a maximum
of just 17.7°C, the coldest December day since 2006 (17.3°C).
The
average minimum temperature for Canberra Airport was 11.7°C, which is
slightly above the historical average of 11.4°C but significantly
cooler than the December 2009 average of 12.5°C. The warmest night was
just 18.3°C on the 9th, with no other days exceeding 17°C. Night-time
temperatures were coolest on the night of the 18th, when Canberra
Airport recorded a minimum temperature of 4.7°C - the lowest December
minimum since 2004 (4.1°C on the 29th).
Wind
Canberra
Airport experienced prevailing northwesterly winds during December,
with a frequency of 58% from this direction at 3pm, close to average
for December. The highest wind gust at Canberra Airport was 76 km/hr on
the 8th, with no strong wind days reported during December, the first
December without strong winds since 1995 (historical average 3 days).
Other
phenomena
Canberra
Airport averaged 9 hours of sunshine per day during December 2010,
slightly below the historical average of 9.4 hours. Six thunderstorms
were reported at the airport, slightly above the historical average of
4 thunderstorms, with 12 reported in the whole ACT region, including
hail on the 2nd. Six fogs were also reported, well above the December
average of one fog and the foggiest December since 1960 (6 fogs).
