A VERY damp December meant Warwick and surrounds finished better than expected in the rain stakes for 2014.

The official total falls for the Rose City in December came in at a whopping 222.8mm - more than 60% of our total rainfall for the year just gone and well over double the long-term average for that month of 100.9mm.

But the not so great news is that we're in for a warmer - daytime and night-time - and drier than average first three months of 2015.

The total rainfall for Warwick for 2014 was 591.6mm, which is 70.3mm short of our long-term annual average rainfall of 661.9mm.

March was our second-wettest month, with an official Bureau of Meteorology total of 170mm, with July the driest month, recording just 6.8mm.

Average daytime maximum temperatures for 2014 were generally one or two degrees above the long-term average for each month, with the greatest variance showing up for November, with a mean maximum of 32.1 degrees compared to the long-term average of 27.8.

Longer-term climate outlooks for 2015 point to borderline El Nino conditions, with only a 40% chance of Warwick receiving higher than average rainfall from January through to March.

The BOM outlook states El Nino-like weather patterns persist in the Pacific Ocean and that sea surface temperatures have exceeded thresholds for a

number of weeks, and the Southern Oscillation Index has generally been negative for the past few months.

"Trade winds have been near-average along the equator, but weaker in the broader tropical belt," the official outlook reads.

"Together, these indicate some weak coupling of the atmosphere and ocean may be occurring.

"Climate models expect little change over the next two to three months, with most predicting a persistence of the current warm sea surface temperatures.

"If current conditions do persist or strengthen (in 2015) 2014-15 is likely to be considered a weak El Nino.

"Regardless of El Nino status, El Nino-like impacts are likely to continue, as shown by recent seasonal outlooks - for Australia, this means drier and warmer than average weather is likely in many areas."

Warwick experienced some minimal falls yesterday and wet conditions are expected to continue into the weekend.

BOM senior forecaster Michelle Berry told the Daily News a ridge of high pressure extending along Queensland's eastern seaboard, combined with a broad upper trough across our region, would persist today and tomorrow.

"That means you'll see some more showers and possible storm activity both days, with continued moist and unstable conditions and easterly winds pushing through," she said.

"There will be a bit of a reprieve on Sunday with only the slight chance of a shower and winds weakening, but some moisture will start to creep back on Monday."

2014 falls...

• January: 31mm
• February: 8.8mm
• March: 170mm
• April: 8mm
• May: 22mm
• June: 13mm
• July: 6.8mm
• August: 45.4mm
• September: 20mm
• October: 15.4mm
• November: 28.4mm
• December: 222.8mm
• (December 2013 - 12.4mm)

Average top temps...

• January: 31.4
• February: 30.8
• March: 28.2
• April: 25.6
• May: 21.4
• June: 19.5
• July: 18.5
• August: 19
• September: 23
• October: 29
• November: 32.1
• December: 29.2