August 2006
Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1961 – 1990)
Mean daily maximum: 19.1
Difference from average: 0
Mean daily minimum: 11.5
Difference from average: +1.2
Mean air temperature: 15.3
Difference from average: +0.6
Absolute maximum: 26.3 (7th)
Absolute minimum: 7.6 (8th)
Mean grass minimum: 9.5
Absolute grass minimum: 3.4 (8th)
Number of ground frosts: 0
Number of air frosts: 0
Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 16.9
Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 15.9
Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1961 – 1990)
Total for the month: 59
Difference from average: -8.1
Percentage of the average: 88%
Wettest day: 12.8 (2nd)
Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 18
Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 14
3-month total rainfall to 31st August: 79.6
Difference from average: -90.8
6-month rainfall total to 31st August: 263.5
Difference from average: -57.3
12-month rainfall total to 31st August: 561.1
Difference from average: -87.9
Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)
Relative Humidity: 77.1%
Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)
Total for the month: 87.4 hours
Difference from average: -68.1
Percentage of the average: 56.2%
Mean daily sunshine: 2.8 hours
Difference from average: -2.2
Sunniest day: 8.4 hours (28th)
Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 3
Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1013.5 hours
Difference from average: +13
Wind
The mean wind speed: 10.9km/h [5.9kt]
Difference from average: -0.3km/hr
The highest gust: 55.6km/h [30kt] from 226° at 14:39 GMT on 9th
ISSN1350-483
Comments on August 2006
After the record-breaking July, we returned to normality in August. Indeed, the mean maximum temperature was exactly average, and only a higher than normal mean minimum allowed the mean air temperature to be a little above average. Rainfall too was just about average. It was, however, a very dull month indeed: only August 1912, with a measly 57 hours, has been duller in August since records began in 1882.
Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University