Stick Insect

Weekly temperatures, which began normal, then remained high all month, peaking
around four degrees above normal on the 18th and again on the 29th. Only a few days or nights were cooler than normal.
There were six rain days, grouped around the 16th, which had 25 mm. Earlier and later times had sunny skies and low dew points.

Comparing December months

Remarkably, the three mean temperatures this month are practically the same as those of both December 2017 and December 2016. They are higher, but by no more than 0.2°, near the limit that can be read on my thermometers. The mean daily maximum of 33.9° and the mean daily mean of 26.1° are the hottest for December in this record from 1999. (The mean daily minimum of 18.3° was exceeded by 18.6° in December 2009.)
This was one of the most sunny December months. The percentage of cloudy mornings (19.4%) was the same as in December 2006, but higher than in 2002 or 2005 (both 16.1%).
The rainfall of 34.5 mm is at the 22nd percentile, far below the average (74 mm). Lower rainfall totals occurred in December of 2001 (34 mm) and 2006 (19 mm). I have reported the on-going drought in another post.

Data. A Bureau of Meteorology automatic rain gauge operates in the museum yard. From 17 March 2017, 9 am daily readings are published as Manilla Museum, Station 55312.  These reports use that rainfall data when it is available.  Since no 9 am readings have been recorded since August, I have substituted my non-standard gauge readings for all days.
All other data, including subsoil at 750 mm, are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla.