Kathmandu, Jan 6:The month of December is normally cold and dry in the Kingdom. However, the past month of December was much warmer and drier than normal.

The monthly mean temperature was warmer than normal by 0.60C to 2.50C over most of the Kingdom. Kathmandu, the capital of the Kingdom recorded highest departure from normal with 2.50C as compared to other places, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Dadeldhura, in the farwest recorded close to normal temperature. The extreme (absolute) maximum temperature recorded this December at Dipayal (29.60C), Dang (25.20C), Simara (29.00C), Okhaldhunga (220C), Taplejung (20.70C) and Dhankuta (22.70C) are one of the highest ever recorded at these places during the month of December.

The cold wave condition, which drops the temperature to unbearably low, does occur at times (during December) in association either with inflow (influx) of cold chilly wind from northwest or with incessant precipitation or with prolonged Terai fog, was virtually absent during this December.

Only during the last few days of month the Terai region came under the influence of some cold wave condition due to the presence of foggy weather.

The December Terai fog of previous two years were comparatively more extensive, denser and longer in duration.

Precipitation was above normal in some of the western hilly regions and much below normal in most parts of the Kingdom. The central and eastern Terai regions, in particular, remainded completely dry with no precipitation at all. But this is not very unusual for the month of December as such type of dry weather condition does occur time to time in certain areas. December of 1998 was comparatively much drier than this one.