Bring out the barbies - warmer and drier December coming up

PHOTO/FILE

Locals can look forward to barbecue weather making an appearance this month, with warmer and drier weather predicted.

MetService forecaster Georgina Griffiths said 112.4mm of rainfall was recorded at Rotorua airport last month, which was 87 per cent of the November norm for the city.

She said this meant the rainfall had been "pretty much average" and overall it was a mild month for rainfall.

The mean temperature for the month was 14.1C, which was above average, so it was a mild November, she said.

Ms Griffiths said the coldest morning was November 1 at 2.9C and 23.7C on November 24 was the warmest temperature reached for the month.

Looking ahead, a drier and warmer December was in store for the Bay of Plenty, including the Rotorua area, she said.

She said the next two weeks in particular were looking pretty mild.

Ms Griffiths said this outlook meant it looked like barbecue weather was in the mix for the month.

However, she said people still needed to keep up with the forecasts in the lead-up to Christmas as an overall warmer and drier December did not guarantee good weather over the holiday period.

Rotorua weatherman Brian Holden, who has a weather station in Springfield, also compiled the month's statistics.

He recorded a total of 163.1mm of rain at his base. The most fell on November 6 with 36mm.

The coldest day was November 17, with 14.5C, while the warmest hit 27C on the 23rd.

The mean temperature recorded in Springfield was 14.6C.