October 2017

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

Mean daily maximum: 14.7
Difference from average: +1.5

Mean daily minimum: 8.9
Difference from average: +2.6

Mean air temperature: 11.8
Difference from average: +2.0

Absolute maximum: 19.2 (13th)

Absolute minimum: 1.6 (30th)

Mean grass minimum: 7.1

Absolute grass minimum: -1.7 (30th)

Mean concrete minimum: 8.5

Absolute concrete minimum: 3.2 (30th)

Number of ground frosts: 1

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 12.7

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 13.2

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

Total for the month: 30.6
Difference from average: -22.0

Percentage of the average: 58%

Wettest day: 8.6 (19th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 13

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 9

3-month total rainfall to 31st October: 168.0
Difference from average: -4.0

6-month rainfall total to 31st October: 362.4
Difference from average: +16.2

12-month rainfall total to 31st October: 681.9
Difference from average: +32.9

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 82%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 65.4 hours
Difference from average: -27.7

Percentage of the average: 70%

Mean daily sunshine: 3 hours
Difference from average: -0.9

Sunniest day: 7.3 hours (2nd)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 2

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1064.1 hours
Difference from average: -153.4

ISSN1350-483

Comments on October 2017
The mean maximum temperature was the highest for October since 2005 and 12th highest since 1900. The mean minimum temperature equalled the value in 2005, these being the joint 2nd highest on record, only beaten in 2001. Mean air temperature was the equal 6th highest for October on record (with 1995). Warmer Octobers include the recent years 2001 (warmest), 2005 and 2006, but also 1921 and 1969. There was only one ground frost and no air frost. October averages 5 ground frosts but the last 5 years have seen only 1 ground frost in four of the years and 2 in the other.

October was a dry month, the driest October since 2007 and the 23rd driest since 1850. Despite the lack of rainfall, it was not a sunny month, but nothing so poor as 1897 when there were only 29 hours of bright sunshine in October. It was cloudy enough to keep minimum temperatures above freezing and there were 13 rain days despite the low total rainfall.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University