The weather in December was definitely a good way to end the year.
If you like balmy temperatures and not chilling cold, that is.
Environment Canada reports that the average maximum temperature for December was 0.6 C. That’s definitely a few degrees warmer than the normal high of -5.2C.
The average low last month came in at -12.9C compared with -17C for the normal low.
Colin Fong, meteorologist for Environment Canada, said that the best temperature high happened on Dec. 1, when 6.8 C was reported at the Red Deer Airport.
“Although surprisingly, Christmas Day gave that day the run for its money,” said Fong.
On Dec. 25, the high was 6.2C.
The lowest temperature reached during the daytime was -6.6C, reported on Dec. 12.
“As warm as it has been for the month of December, none of the records were broken,” said Fong.
Snowfall was also fairly minimal through the month.
Fong said that a total of 10.4 cm of snowfall was measured, compared with the average of 18.9 cm.
The last measurable snowfall happened on Dec. 21, when 1.2 cm fell. Between Dec. 21 and New Year’s Eve, trace amounts of snow fell.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com
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