April 2016

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

Mean daily maximum: 10.2
Difference from average: -0.8

Mean daily minimum: 3.0
Difference from average: -0.1

Mean air temperature: 6.6
Difference from average: -0.4

Absolute maximum: 16.9 (21st)

Absolute minimum: -1.2 (28th)

Mean grass minimum: 1.0

Absolute grass minimum: -3.5 (28th)

Number of ground frosts: 12

Number of air frosts: 2

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 8.6

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 8.3

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

Total for the month: 81.4
Difference from average: +34.1

Percentage of the average: 172%

Wettest day: 11.2 (12th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 20

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 15

3-month total rainfall to 30th April: 167.4
Difference from average: -4.6

6-month rainfall total to 30th April: 508.8
Difference from average: +162.6

12-month rainfall total to 30th April: 893.4
Difference from average: +244.4

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 81%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 122.5 hours
Difference from average: -10.7

Percentage of the average: 92%

Mean daily sunshine: 4.1 hours
Difference from average: -0.3

Sunniest day: 11.6 hours (21st)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 0

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 329.6 hours
Difference from average: -28.2

ISSN1350-483

Comments on April 2016
April was a disappointing month, a slow start to spring. Mean air temperature was well below average, 49th equal lowest since 1850, the coldest April since 1989. It was the first below-average month since last July.

It was the 17th wettest April in 167 years but only the wettest since the very wet April of 2012 (134.4mm). Period totals for the last six and twelve month periods remain well above average. As expected, sunshine was a little below average.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University