November 2002

Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1961 – 1990)

Mean daily maximum: 9.7
Difference from average: +1.0

Mean daily minimum: 4.6
Difference from average: +1.8

Mean air temperature: 7.2
Difference from average: +1.4

Absolute maximum: 14.1 (6th)

Absolute minimum: -0.9 (18th)

Mean grass minimum: 2.8

Absolute grass minimum: -3.3 (18th)

Number of ground frosts: 5

Number of air frosts: 1

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 7.6

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 9.8

Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 80.4
Difference from average: +18.4

Percentage of the average: 129%

Wettest day: 16.2 (2nd)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 15

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 14

3-month total rainfall to 30 November 2002: 191.6
Difference from average: +21.6

6-month rainfall total to 30 November 2002: 409.4
Difference from average: +68.6

12-month rainfall total to 30 November 2002: 678.2
Difference from average: +29.2

Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 89.8%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 46.6 hours
Difference from average: -19.5

Percentage of the average: 70.4%

Mean daily sunshine: 1.6 hours
Difference from average: -0.6

Sunniest day: 6.3 hours (4th)
Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 12

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1158.2 hours
Difference from average: -125.5

Wind

The mean wind speed: 12.2 km/h [6.6kt]
Difference from average: -1.3 km/hr

The highest gust: 74 km/h [40kt] from 50° at 9.01 GMT on 14th

ISSN1350-483

Comments on November 2002
November was a mild month, the 20th warmest on record since 1850. However, it was less warm than November 2001 (7.5°C), which was 10th warmest on record. Mean minima in particular were well above the long-term average and the highest since 1997. It was also a wet month, although not exceptionally so. All long-term measures of rainfall are now above average. As expected, it was a dull month, with hours of bright sunshine below average; there were 12 days with no sunshine recorded at all. Not surprisingly, there were very few ground frosts as a result, and only one air frost.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University