Lots of sun, cool temperatures in December
By Nelson Daily Staff
December did not prove to be much of an early-season Christmas present for businesses depending on lots of white stuff to make ends meet, as total amount of precipitation during the month was only 46 per cent of normal said Ron Lakeman, Weather Forecasterfor the Southeast Fire Centrein his monthly weather review.
“(Precipitation) was the least amount of precipitation during December since 2000,” Lakeman said.
The lack of precipitation resulted despite the weather office having 17 days of measureable amounts, which was normal for December.
“With adominant upper ridge of high pressure centred just off the coast, and the resulting north-westerly flow across the interior, the amounts of snow associated with relatively frequent weak disturbances were almost all in the minor category,” Lakeman said.
Lakeman said the mean monthly temperature was 1.2 degrees colder than normal.
“A modified Arctic air mass also pushed west of the Rockies for a few days of abnormally cold temperatures,” he said.
“A record daily minimum value of -17.7 degrees was recorded during the early morning hours of December 7 and again during the early morning of December 8.
“It was the first Arctic outbreak since Jan-Feb 2011.”
The early forecast by Environment Canada for January calls for a week of precipitation to the middle of the month before a high-pressure system brings clear skies to the region.
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