December 2014 statistics and summaries

[TonyH]

December 2014

 

Changeable and sunny; near average temperatures and rainfall

 

Although rainfall was close to average it was the driest December since 2010 (52mm). The cold snap at the end of the month took temperatures down to average after it had looked like being a rather mild month for the most part.

 

1^st â€“ 6^th: Rather cold with some sharp frosts, lowest reading of the month -6.3c 4^th. 2^nd and 3^rd sunny otherwise rather cloudy with some rain or showers

 

7^th â€“ 18^th: Unsettled with variable temperatures. A spell of alternating Tm and Pm air as active frontal systems crossed UK. However it was never really cold with just a few slight frosts. Often cloudy but sunny spells some days. Frequent rain or showers, heavy at times with hail, and often quite windy although no especially strong winds. Wettest day of the month 25mm 11^th. Very mild night of 18^th/ 19^th min 10.9c.

 

19^th â€“ 23^rd: Mild or very mild and rather cloudy, only a little rain at times.

 

24^th â€“ 27^th: Colder but still around average sunny intervals and showers but wet and windy 26^th

when it briefly turned mild. Rather cold with hail and probably sleet showers 27^th.

 

28^th â€“ 30^th : Cold, sunny and frosty. High pressure close to the SW giving a fine but often cold spell with some severe frosts. Coldest night of 2014 28^th minimum -8.4c. Almost unbroken sunshine made December a sunny month overall. Pressure peaked at 1043mbar 29^th the highest level since February 2012.

 

31^st: Mild and rather windy and eventually drizzly

 

Total rainfall: 152.7mm (106% LTA)

Wettest day: 25.0mm 11^th

Rain days >0.2mm: 23
Wet days >1.0mm: 20
Days of heavy rain >10mm: 5

Mean temperature: 5.0c

Mean Max: 7.9c

Mean Min: 2.0c

 

High Max: 12.2c 22^nd
Low Max: 1.8c 4^th
High Min: 10.9c 18^th
Low Min: -8.4c 29^th

 

Est sun: 61 hr (158%)

Max sun: 7 hours 3^rd , 28^th , 29^th

Days no sun: 7

Air frost: 11

Ground frost: 15

Ice day (max below 0c): 0

Mean RH: 92%

High RH: 100% vs
Low RH: 64% 2^nd

Predominant wind directions: West
Mean wind speed: 7.5mph

Max gust: 45mph 12^th

Mean pressure: 1019mbar 
Max pressure: 1043mbar 29^th
Min pressure: 989mbar 12^th

 

Days with:
 

Hail: 7
Gale: 0
Thunder: 0

Snow or sleet: 3

Snow lying 0900: 0
Fog: 4

Fog at 0900: 0

 

0900 WIND: N 1 NE 1 E 0 SE 0 S 3 SW 7 W 9 NW 2 C 8   

Edited January 1, 2015 by TonyH

[Styx]

 

December - Hobart, Tasmania

Summer begins rather humid and often cloudy, with 3 thunderstorm days ( half the yearly average ), spawned by instability spreading south from the eastern side of the country. One of those thunderstorms was intense with large hail and flash flooding ( 20mm ).  It was a wet month ending a dry year, and the daily maximum temperature equalled the average for 1981-2010. As low pressure built over eastern Australia at the start of the month, high pressure was drawn to Tasmania's south. This resulted in a prolonged period of cool onshore E'ly winds with uninterrupted low cloud.

 

Average maximum:  20.3 ( -- )

Average minimum:  12.1 ( +0.8 )

Rainfall:  78mm ( average 56mm )

Rain days ( +1mm ):  11/from 19 

 

Extremes in daily temperature for December ( Records since 1882 ):

Highest maximum:  29.2...29th ( Record 40.6 in 1897 )

Lowest maximum:  14.5...6th ( Record 10.2 in 1964 )

 

Highest minimum:  16.3...14th ( Record 23.9 in 1920 )

Lowest minimum:  8.2...12th ( Record 3.3 in 1906 )

[Thundery wintry showers]

Stats for Sandhutton, N Yorkshire, December 2014:

 

Mean max  7.9°C 

Mean min 1.9°C 

Mean 4.9°C 

 

Highest max 13.7°C 18th 

Lowest max 2.3°C 29th 

Highest min 11.0°C 23rd 

Lowest min -3.5°C 29th 

 

Precipitation 25mm

Highest daily precip total 6.6mm, 26th 

Days >= 0.2mm 9

Days >= 1mm 7

 

Days with thunder 0

Days with sleet or snow falling 2

Days with snow lying at 0900 0

 

Days with hail <5mm 0  

Days with hail >5mm 0  

Days with fog at 0900 0  

 

This was an exceptionally sunny December, with fairly cold west to north-westerlies alternating with mild south-westerlies.  It was about as mild as last year up until the 24th, but a cold snap in the last week brought the mean temperature about a degree below that of December 2014.  There was sleet mixed with rain on the 26th and some wet snow on the 27th, but no accumulations on the ground, and thus we saw out 2014 without a single day with snow on the ground at 0900.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Thundery wintry showers

[reef]

Hedon, East Yorkshire

 

December 2014 (against 1981-2010 averages)

 

Warmest Max: 13.9°C (22nd)
Coldest Max: 3.7°C (27th)
Warmest Min: 11.4°C (22nd)
Coldest Min: -1.9°C (6th)

 

Average Max: 7.9°C (+1.0°C)
Average Min: 2.9°C (+0.1°C)
Overall Average: 5.4°C (+0.6°C)

 

Rain: 43.4mm (69%)
Wettest Day: 27th (13.0mm)
Sunshine: 91 hours (175%)

 

Air Frosts: 8
Sleet/Snow Falling: 1 days
Snow lying at 0900: 0 days
Dry Days: 12
Wet Days: 19
Days With Rain >1.0mm: 9
Days With Rain >10mm: 1
Thunder Days: 0
Days With Fog: 0
Max Gust: 36mph (11th)

 

The sunniest December on record, beating the previous highest in 2009 by 9 hours. The minimum temperature of 11.4C on the 22nd was the highest since 1994. The month was around average until mid-month, followed by an exceptionally mild period from 17th-23rd. The final week was then rather cold. A short period of sleet on the 27th was all the month offered in terms of wintry precipitation, though it was slightly frostier than average.

Edited January 25, 2015 by reef