Summary
Very mild again but a White Christmas.
Diary of Highlights
1st to 14th
Apart from some morning frost on the 2nd, much of the first two weeks resembled November, that is, mostly dry and very mild. The first 14 days seeing mostly insignificant amounts of rain.
15th to 24th
The second half of the month became progressively more unsettled and there were several wet spells. Although there were still some very mild days, the second half of the month was more seasonal with day-time temperatures close to average.
25th to 31st
Arctic air arrived late on Christmas Eve and a classic 'white Christmas' occurred with 5 to 10 cm of snow on the ground by daybreak on the 25th. This cleared from many areas again on Boxing Day, and the closing days of the month were often quite mild but with some heavy spells of rain.
Temperatures for the month were well above normal once again and it was quite a sunny month in places. Parts of the Ards Peninsula had their driest December since 1975. The occurrence of night-time frost was below the long term average.
Statistical details
| Northern Ireland Mean Temperature Series (series began in 1961). |
The mean value for the month was 5.8°C. |
1.3°C below the 1961-1990 average, which is well above category.°C. |
| Northern Ireland Rainfall Series (series began in 1961). |
The total for the month was 93.5mm. |
85% of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the close to average category. |
| Northern Ireland Sunshine Series (series began in 1929). |
The total for the month was 43.2 hours. |
123% of the 1961-1990 average, which is in the well above average category. |
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