Sun Shines On Island

MAI KHAO: Yes, Virginia, there is a sun. Following a soggy November, the first half of this month saw more blue skies than clouds as a mere 15 millimeters of rain was recorded from December 1 through December 15 at the Southwestern Meteorological Center’s monitoring station near Phuket International Airport. The heaviest 24-hour rainfall total during the period was recorded on December 8 when 13 millimeters fell. Trace precipitation was recorded on four other days. The dry weather was a blessing for the island’s tourist industry, which had put out the welcome mat for the throngs of high season visitors. Phuket received 3,013 millimeters of rain through the first eleven and one-half months of this year. Forecasters had earlier predicted total precipitation of 1,300-1,500 millimeters for all of 1998.