the state of our environment | December 2014

Recreation-wise it was a dismal start to December but at least it dented prospects of drought. A month’s worth of rain fell in the first couple of weeks and maximum temperatures were often in the mid-teens. The dump of rain temporarily affected water quality at swimming spots but air temperatures didn’t exactly encourage a frolic in the surf. Meaty showers dotted the region during the second half of the month (43 mm in an hour near Ashley Clinton on the 30th) but for most of us the weather did an about-turn on the 18th – not a smidgen of rain from then on and daytime temperatures averaged about 26°C. The belated slam-dunk into summer wasn’t enough to pull our December temperatures up from below normal levels but we did hit near normal rainfall totals and soil moisture levels ended roughly average for the time of year. River flows and groundwater levels closed out the month lower than usual and, while not wanting to put the kaibosh on holidaymakers’ picnics (because the rest of us are loving being back at work), we’re starting to think once again that a dollop of rain wouldn’t go amiss.

Slide 1 - 20150108_HBRC_SOE_December2014.pdf

© Scoop Media