Few Shed Tears Over Departure Of November

MAI KHAO: Sun worshipers were glad to see November come to an end. Last month, Phuket saw almost twice as much rain as occurred during the same period last year, with 466.8 millimeters recorded at the Southwestern Meteorological Center’s monitoring station at Phuket International Airport. Last year, 251 millimeters fell during the entire month. Amorn Chantanavivate, the center’s director, blamed last month’s heavy showers on El Nino. That was little consolation for overseas tourists hoping to bask in the sun. Those who arrived for their holidays during the first half of November found more rain clouds than blue skies as a total of 252.6 millimeters of rain was recorded during that period. The second half of November saw 214.2 millimeters. Forecasters have predicted 60-110 millimeters of rain for the entire month of December. Phuket received 2,998 millimeters of rain through the first eleven months of the year. Forecasters had earlier predicted total precipitation of 1,300-1,500 millimeters for all of 1998.