January 2014

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

Mean daily maximum: 7.0
Difference from average: +1.2

Mean daily minimum: 2.5
Difference from average: +2.3

Mean air temperature: 4.8
Difference from average: +1.8

Absolute maximum: 10.1 (25th)

Absolute minimum: -1.5 (12th)

Mean grass minimum: 0.0

Absolute grass minimum: -4.8 (12th)

Number of ground frosts: 16

Number of air frosts: 5

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 5.2

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 7.1

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

Total for the month: 91.2
Difference from average: +31.8

Percentage of the average: 154%

Wettest day: 10.4 (19th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 24

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 23

3-month total rainfall to 31st January: 210.6
Difference from average: +38.6

6-month rainfall total to 31st January: 466.8
Difference from average: +120.6

12-month rainfall total to 31st January: 773.8
Difference from average: +124.8

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 88%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 54.1 hours
Difference from average: +0.3

Percentage of the average: 101%

Mean daily sunshine: 1.7 hours
Difference from average: 0.0

Sunniest day: 6.1 hours (13th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 1

ISSN1350-483

Comments on January 2014
Like December, January was mild with temperatures well above average; mean air temperature, mean maximum and mean minimum were all the highest since 2008. This was the 20th equal warmest January since 1850. The mean minimum was the 7th equal highest since 1900.

Whilst January rainfall in the North East was not record-breaking, nevertheless it was the 13th wettest January since 1850, the wettest since 2008. Curiously, the wettest day only recorded 10.4mm and there were 24 rain days in all, showing the rainfall was persistent and regular, rather than a few heavy falls. Sunshine was exactly average, the dullest January since 2006.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University