August 2016

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

Mean daily maximum: 19.6
Difference from average: +0.5

Mean daily minimum: 11.7
Difference from average: +1.3

Mean air temperature: 15.7
Difference from average: +1.0

Absolute maximum: 24.3 (23rd)

Absolute minimum: 7.0 (10th)

Mean grass minimum: 10.1

Absolute grass minimum: 4.6 (10th)

Mean concrete minimum: 11.6

Absolute concrete minimum: 7.1 (9th & 10th)

Number of ground frosts: 0

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 17.0

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 15.6

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

Total for the month: 69.8
Difference from average: +2.7

Percentage of the average: 104%

Wettest day: 16.8 (28th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 14

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 11

3-month total rainfall to 31st August: 154.2
Difference from average: -17.8

6-month rainfall total to 31st August: 335.3
Difference from average: -10.9

12-month rainfall total to 31st August: 813.9
Difference from average: +164.9

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 81%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 146.1 hours
Difference from average: -9.4

Percentage of the average: %

Mean daily sunshine: 4.7 hours
Difference from average: -0.3

Sunniest day: 9.7 hours (16th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 2

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 838.1 hours
Difference from average: -162.4

ISSN1350-483

Comments on August 2016
August was very similar in terms of temperature to July and, whilst not exceptionally warm, it was warmer than the previous two Augusts. Overall, it was the 18th warmest August in 167 years. Rainfall was just over average and sunshine hours just below average. The 3-month and 6-month cumulative rainfall totals are close to average but the 12-month total remains well above average. The wettest day was Bank Holiday Sunday with a total of 16.8mm.

For the summer as a whole, this was the 29th equal warmest in 167 years (14.9°C), 0.7°C warmer than the 1961 – 1990 average but by no means exceptional. The warmest summer day was 19th July when a maximum of 28.9°C was recorded. Summer rainfall (152.4mm) was just below average, with only August being (slightly) above average. Even so, it was the driest summer at Durham since 2006. In terms of sunshine, it was a dull summer, the 9th dullest on record since 1882 (367 hours). Even so, three summers since 2000 have had less bright sunshine, the most recent in 2012. According to the Davis index of summer weather (which combines temperature, rainfall and sunshine), summer 2016 was just better than average, ranking 59th best in 136 years.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University