June 2019

Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1981 – 2010)

Mean daily maximum: 17.5
Difference from average: -0.1

Mean daily minimum: 9.4
Difference from average: +0.5

Mean air temperature: 13.5
Difference from average: +0.2

Absolute maximum: 26.8 (30th)

Absolute minimum: 3.9 (10th)

Mean grass minimum: 8.2

Absolute grass minimum: 1.9 (10th)

Mean concrete minimum: 9.8

Absolute concrete minimum: 5.0 (10th)

Number of ground frosts: 0

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 14.7

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 12.9

Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1981 – 2010)

Total for the month: 111.0
Difference from average: +53.9

Percentage of the average: 194%

Wettest day: 27.6 (11th)

Number of rain days (>0.2mm): 16

Number of wet days (=>1.0mm): 12

3-month total rainfall to 30th June: 176.6
Difference from average: 4.6

6-month rainfall total to 30th June: 271.6
Difference from average: -74.6

12-month rainfall total to 30th June: 581.0
Difference from average: -68

Sunshine
(all averages 1981 – 2010)

Total for the month: 115.1 hours
Difference from average: -38.5

Percentage of the average: 75%

Mean daily sunshine: 3.8 hours
Difference from average: -1.3

Sunniest day: 11.0 hours (27th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 3

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 699.5 hours
Difference from average: -19.5

Wind
(all data from West Building roof, Lower Mountjoy)

Average wind speed: 6.6kph

Maximum gust: 54.7kph (2nd)

ISSN1350-483

Comments on June 2019
Mean air temperature was just above average, equal 43rd highest since 1850. Mean maximum was just below average for June (equal 49th lowest since 1900), but mean minimum was well above average (equal 20th highest since 1900).

This was the wettest month since January 2016 and the wettest June since the very wet summer of 2012. Nevertheless, the 3-month and 6-month totals remain well below average. In line with many places in the country, there were high totals on 12th (23.8mm) and 13th (17.2mm), with the heaviest rain between 22:00 on 12th and 02:00 on 13th when hourly totals of 4.4, 3.8 and 3.6mm were recorded. Not surprisingly, June was a dull month with a sunshine total well below average, less than four hours of bright sunshine per day. It was the 14th dullest June in Durham since 1882, although June 2016 was worse – so too were 2014, 2007 and the dullest June on record 2012.

Corrected and updated 20-12-2019.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University