October 2011

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

Mean daily maximum: 14.4
Difference from average: +1.2

Mean daily minimum: 7.8
Difference from average: +1.5

Mean air temperature: 11.1
Difference from average: +1.3

Absolute maximum: 25.3 (1st)

Absolute minimum: 1.5 (20th)

Mean grass minimum: 6.2

Absolute grass minimum: -2.2 (20th)

Number of ground frosts: 2

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 12.6

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 13.3

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

Total for the month: 51.0
Difference from average: -1.5

Percentage of the average: 97%

Wettest day: 13.0 (12th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 15

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

3-month total rainfall to 31st October: 210.2
Difference from average: +35.0

6-month rainfall total to 31st October: 377.6
Difference from average: +47.3

12-month rainfall total to 31st October: 708.8
Difference from average: +59.9

Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity:

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 86.3 hours
Difference from average: -6.8

Percentage of the average: 93%

Mean daily sunshine: 2.8 hours
Difference from average: -0.2

Sunniest day: 8.4 hours (15th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 2

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1242.8 hours
Difference from average: +25.3

Wind

The mast is still broken, we hope to replace it soon.

ISSN1350-483

Comments on October 2011
This was the 11th equal warmest October in Durham since 1850, the warmest since 2006; 2001 holds the record (12.9°C). The warm weather at the end of September continued into October; the 1st with a maximum of 25.3°C is certainly the warmest October day since 1962 (when available records begin) and so may well be the highest ever temperature recorded in October in Durham.

This easily beats the previous record, 24.1°C in 1985.

Rainfall was almost exactly average for October. All three long-period totals remain above average. Sunshine was just a little below average too.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University