December: Dry, Mild and Cloudy

Murray from Paraparaumu

December in Kāpiti, had average temperatures and its usual low rainfall for that month, but was considerably less sunny than normal. We ended another year again avoiding any extreme weather.

Our daily average maximum temperature was 21.5C, almost, exactly the month’s longtime average of 21.6, which we would have reached had not the last day of the month been unusually cool. This December was very slightly warmer than 2023. The highest temperature was 27C on Dec. 21, and there were only five days that didn’t reach 20C.

Rainfall over the district was unusually variable and associated with thunder storms on several occasions, one of which totally missed eastern Paraparaumu, resulting in it recording 10mm less rain than Waikanae for the month. The official monthly total recorded at the airport was 76mm, at Waikanae 84mm and at my place (Paraparaumu) 73mm. The historic average (airport) is 78mm. The frequency of forecasters predicting possible showers and rain watches continued, mostly without any worthwhile rain eventuating.

The equivalent of only 14.5 sunny days was the lowest in a decade, with almost every day beginning with cloud, and frequently with a trace of drizzle that took most of the morning to burn-off.

Records show January (our driest month) should see even less rain, amounting to only 45mm and temperatures averaging 23C with 18 sunny days.