October 2005
October 2005
Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1961 – 1990)
Mean daily maximum: 14.8
Difference from average: +1.6
Mean daily minimum: 8.9
Difference from average: +2.6
Mean air temperature: 11.9
Difference from average: +2.1
Absolute maximum: 19.4 (1st)
Absolute minimum: 1.9 (14th)
Mean grass minimum: 7.6
Absolute grass minimum: -0.5 (14th)
Number of ground frosts: 1
Number of air frosts: 0
Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 12.5
Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 13.3
Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1961 – 1990)
Total for the month: 74
Difference from average: +21.5
Percentage of the average: 141%
Wettest day: 13 (21st)
Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 13
Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 11
Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)
Relative Humidity: 88%
Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)
Total for the month: 81.8 hours
Difference from average: -11.3
Percentage of the average: 88%
Mean daily sunshine: 2.6 hours
Difference from average: -0.4
Sunniest day: 7.3 hours (31st)
Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 5
Wind
The mean wind speed: 10.7km/h [5.8kt]
Difference from average: -1.3km/hr
The highest gust: 59.2km/h [32kt] from 150° at 00:03 GMT on 30th
ISSN1350-483
Comments on October 2005
October was a mild, wet month, typically autumnal except perhaps for being less windy than normal.
All measures of temperature were above average. Mean daily maximum was the 5th highest on record since 1950 while mean daily minimum was the 2nd highest on record since 1950. Overall, mean air temperature was the 3rd warmest on record since 1850, beaten only by 1969 and the record holder, 2001, which was a whole degree Celsius warmer than October 2005.
October rainfall was well above average, though not exceptional by any means. Not surprisingly, sunshine was below average. The wettest day was the 13th with 13mm, but 12.8mm on the 12th must also be noted, falling in a very short time causing localised flooding.
Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University