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October 2006

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

Mean daily maximum: 15.6
Difference from average: +2.4

Mean daily minimum: 8.6
Difference from average: +2.3

Mean air temperature: 12.1
Difference from average: +2.3

Absolute maximum: 17.9 (13th)

Absolute minimum: 3.7 (24th)

Mean grass minimum: 5.8

Absolute grass minimum: -0.6 (27th)

Number of ground frosts: 2

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 13.4

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 14.1

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

Total for the month: 57.4
Difference from average: +4.9

Percentage of the average: 109%

Wettest day: 14.8 (25th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 22

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 16

3-month total rainfall to 31st October: 148.8
Difference from average: -26.4

6-month rainfall total to 31st October: 266.7
Difference from average: -63.6

12-month rainfall total to 31st October: 513.1
Difference from average: -135.9

Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 86%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 74.7 hours
Difference from average: -18.4

Percentage of the average: %

Mean daily sunshine: 2.4 hours
Difference from average: -0.6

Sunniest day: 7.5 hours (12th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 7

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1214 hours
Difference from average: -3.5

Wind

The mean wind speed: 11.7km/h [6.3kt]
Difference from average: -0.8km/hr

The highest gust: 90.7km/h [49kt] from 284° at 11:05 GMT on 30th

ISSN1350-483

Comments on October 2006
This was the third warmest October on record at Durham since 1850, beaten only by 1969 and the record holder, 2001. The mean maximum temperature was the highest since 2001 whereas the mean minimum was the highest since 1969, as might be expected, the only two years where mean air temperature has been higher. In many ways the most remarkable aspect of temperatures in October was the small range, with neither very high, not very low temperatures recorded.

The relatively constant, mild weather was reflected in the fact that rainfall was only just above normal and sunshine hours a little below average. This suggests a mild maritime air flow, without the extremes associated with high pressure systems.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University