31/12/2008: Despite a few cool spells this month, Sydney has just recorded its warmest December since 2005.

The average maximum for the month came in at a mild 26 degrees, just one above the long term average, but still the warmest in three years.

The minimums were warm as well, averaging to 18 degrees, also one above average, with a large number of high humidity days – fairly typical for this time of year.

When maximums and minimums were combined, the average for Sydney for December was just under 22 degrees, one above the long term mean.

It wasn’t particularly wet for Sydney region, with a monthly total of 54mm. Western suburbs saw good storms on a number of days with Homebush picking up 104mm - the wettest month since April.

It was also wet over the southeast inland, with the Riverina, South West Slopes and Lower Western all recording much needed above average rainfall. Deniliquin picked up 69mm, the wettest month since October, 2005.

"There were multiple good rainfall days this December for the southeast inland," said weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Jessica Trevena. "Troughs lying over the region – typical for this time of year – were supplied with good moisture from the tropics, translating to good rain for the inland."

It was a mixed bag along the coast, with some regions picking up well above average rainfall, and some below, as uneven thunderstorm falls dominated rain events in the area. Forster, for example, picked up 80mm – 12mm below average and the driest December since 2006 – while Grafton picked up 165mm – the wettest December since 1998.

Looking ahead into the rest of Summer, neutral to cool conditions over the east tropical Pacific means close to or above average rainfall is likely, particularly for northeast coastal areas. Temperatures will correspondingly be likely lower than normal over the coast with increased cloud cover, while warmer than normal temperatures are likely over the inland as warm anomalies persist over the east tropical Indian Ocean.

Media Inquiries:

Jessica Trevena
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9236

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