December: Dry, Mild and Cloudy
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.
Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
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10.5% Yes! New Year, New Me
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20.7% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
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68.8% Nah - not for me
Quote for the Day
Interviewer:
"Do you think that the British class system has finally ended?"
Upper-middle class Romance author, Dame Barbara Cartland:
"Well, of course it has; otherwise I would't be sitting here, talking to someone like you!"
Happy New Year [hopefully!]
Mike
Driven On The Akatarawa Rd Lately?
If so, its good to know you are still alive and reading this.
We have a function to go to over Christmas up that way and having heard a few hairy stories about the road, I went up there on Thursday to check it out. The road's ok, narrow and winding, but not much worse than a Wellington hill suburb. What was pretty scary was the behavior of other drivers. Three vehicles heading the other way at speed would have crashed into me if I hadn't been pulled off the road. I had pulled in to check the address when a truck came flying past, taking up all of the narrow road at speed. There is no way the driver would have been able to stop had they come around the corner immediately in front of me. The other two drivers came hurtling past as I had turned in to turn around and come back down the hill. They were also driving at speed and taking up most of the road. Coming back down I passed another car coming up and estimate that the safe speed to pass another car was about 30-35 kms.p.h. So, now we're thinking, do we go to the function or not.? Feels a bit like we're taking our life in our hands going up there. Drivers appear to be overconfident, and they are courting serious injury.
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