July 2016

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

Mean daily maximum: 19.6
Difference from average: +0.3

Mean daily minimum: 12.0
Difference from average: +1.6

Mean air temperature: 15.8
Difference from average: +0.9

Absolute maximum: 28.9 (19th)

Absolute minimum: 6.2 (2nd)

Mean grass minimum: 10.2

Absolute grass minimum: 3.9 (2nd)

Number of ground frosts: 0

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 16.4

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 14.6

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

Total for the month: 35.2
Difference from average: -16.4

Percentage of the average: 68%

Wettest day: 6.6 (4th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 14

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 10

3-month total rainfall to 31st July: 126.1
Difference from average: -45.9

6-month rainfall total to 31st July: 293.5
Difference from average: -52.7

12-month rainfall total to 31st July: 825.7
Difference from average: +176.7

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 77%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 114.6 hours
Difference from average: -40.3

Percentage of the average: 74%

Mean daily sunshine: 3.7 hours
Difference from average: -1.3

Sunniest day: 10.4 hours (21st)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 0

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 692 hours
Difference from average: -152.9

ISSN1350-483

Comments on July 2016
July experienced above-average temperatures, at night especially. There were nine days with maxima above 20°C, from the 16th to the 24th; with a maximum of 28.9°C on the 19th. For an unknown reason, the concrete thermometer failed to operate for four days but when it started to work again, the concrete surface temperature was 43.8°C (1100, 19th)! Rainfall was below average but so too was sunshine. Nevertheless, despite the lack of bright sunshine, overall it was a very pleasant summery month!

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University