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April 2024

SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY

April 2024

Temperatures (all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1991-2020)

Mean daily maximum: 12.4   Difference from average: -0.1

Mean daily minimum: 4.8      Difference from average: +0.8

Mean air temperature: 8.6      Difference from average: +0.3

Absolute maximum: 18.6 (30th)

Absolute minimum: -1.4 (27th)

Mean grass minimum: 3.4      Difference from average: +1.5

Absolute grass minimum: -3.9 (27th)

Mean concrete minimum: 4.4

Absolute concrete minimum: -0.9 (27th)

Number of ground frosts: 6    Difference from average: -4

Number of air frosts: 3           Difference from average: 0

Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth: 9.8

Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 9.2

Rainfall (all totals in millimetres; all averages 1991-2020)

Total for the month: 78.8        Difference from average: +27.6

Percentage of the average:  154%

Wettest day: 12.4 (8th)

Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 23   Difference from average: +9

Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 16

3-month total rainfall to 30th April 2024: 182.3          Difference from average: +43.5

6-month total rainfall to 30th April 2024: 451.0          Difference from average: +111.7

12-month total rainfall to 30th April 2024: 925.6        Difference from average: +244.6

Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1991-2020)

Total for the month: 121.1      Difference from average: -33,2

Percentage of the average:  78%

Mean daily sunshine: 3.9       Difference from average: -1.2

Sunniest day: 9.7 (30th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 0

Note that the monthly sunshine total is now calculated from the UKMO E&NE regional total. Daily sunshine totals quoted here and in the data summary are uncorrected.

Wind (kph; all data from the West Building roof, Lower Mountjoy campus)

 Average wind speed: 7.1

Maximum gust: 66.0 (15th, 16:45, W)

Comments on April 2024

Temperatures by day in April were just below average, but nights were warmer than average. Cooler days towards the end of the month made it look as if the mean air temperature would be below the 1991-2020 average, but in the end, it was 0.3 C above average. Despite the disappointing daytime temperatures, this is still the equal 23rd warmest April in 181 years, well into the upper quartile. There were 26 days above 10 °C, three more than average. With nights being warmer than usual, there was the equal 13th lowest number of ground frosts since 1874.

For the 7th month in a row, the rainfall total was above average. The 12-month total for May 2023 to April 2024 inclusive is the 20th highest of any 12-month period on record (925.6 mm; n = 2081). This was the 19th wettest April on record since 1850. There were 23 rain days, the 4th equal highest total, exceeded only in 2001 (24), 2012 (24) and 1998 (25). As expected for a wet month, it was also a dull month, the 45th dullest April since 1882 (n = 141).

It seems the automatic weather station on the roof of the West Building was not working on 6th and 7th April, hence the gaps in the daily wind data on the April data spreadsheet.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt

Department of Geography

Durham University

[email protected]