October 2002

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

Mean daily maximum: 12.6
Difference from average: -0.6

Mean daily minimum: 5.4
Difference from average: -0.9

Mean air temperature: 9.0
Difference from average: -0.8

Absolute maximum: 21.6 (2nd)

Absolute minimum: -2.5 (20th)

Mean grass minimum: 3.9

Absolute grass minimum: -4.7 (20th)

Number of ground frosts: 6

Number of air frosts: 3

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 10.9

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 13.3

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

Total for the month: 86
Difference from average: +33.5

Percentage of the average: 164%

Wettest day: 21.8 (21st)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 18

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 12

3-month total rainfall to 31st October 2002: 203
Difference from average: +27.9

6-month rainfall total to 31st October 2002: 386.6
Difference from average: +55.6

12-month rainfall total to 31st October 2002: 633.6
Difference from average: -15.4

Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 83.9%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 81.9 hours
Difference from average: -42.1

Percentage of the average: 66%

Mean daily sunshine: 2.6 hours
Difference from average: -0.4

Sunniest day: 8.9 hours (1st)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 9

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1111.6 hours
Difference from average: -106

Wind

The mean wind speed: 10.6 km/h [5.7kt]
Difference from average: -1.4 km/hr

The highest gust: 70.4 km/h [38kt] from 310° at 12:26 GMT on 27th.

ISSN1350-483

Comments on October 2002
October was a cool, wet month. All measures of temperature were below average, mean air temperature and mean maximum being the lowest since 1994, while mean minimum was the lowest since 1997. Although a wet month, it was only the wettest October since 1998. The number of days with no recorded sunshine was the largest since 1993.

Given lower than normal temperatures, mean air temperature over the last twelve months fell slightly below the 10°C mark, but is still well above average. Long-term rainfall totals are, in contrast, now close to average.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University