December 2024
SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY
Temperatures (all temperatures in degrees Celsuis; all averages 1991-2020)
Mean daily maximum: 9.7 Difference from average: +2.6
Mean daily minimum: 4.2 Difference from average: +2.8
Mean air temperature: 6.98 Difference from average: +2.7
Absolute maximum: 13.8 (25th)
Absolute minimum: -0.1 (3rd, 4th)
Mean grass minimum: 2.9 Difference from average: +3.2
Absolute grass minimum: -1.8 (3rd)
Mean concrete minimum: 3.1
Absolute concrete minimum: -1.6 (23rd)
Number of ground frosts: 8 Difference from average: -8
Number of air frosts: 2 Difference from average: -9
Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth: 7.0
Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 8.6
Rainfall (all totals in millimetres; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 51.8 Difference from average: -9.4
Percentage of the average: 85%
Wettest day: 20.6 (7th)
Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 15 Difference from average: -4
Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 10
3-month total rainfall to 31st December 2024: 143.8 Difference from average: -55.9
6-month total rainfall to 31st December 2024: 332.0 Difference from average: -52.6
12-month total rainfall to 31st December 2024: 679.2 Difference from average: -1.8
Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 38.4 Difference from average: -18.5
Percentage of the average: 67%
Mean daily sunshine: 1.3 Difference from average: -0.6
Sunniest day: 6.7 (19th)
Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 3
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: 2.3
Maximum gust: 24.6 (7th, 12:45, NW)
Comments on December 2024
This was the 5th highest mean air temperature for December on record (6.98 °C), the mildest December since the record holder, 2015 (7.91 °C). There was the 4th highest mean maximum and the 6th highest mean minimum. There was the equal 2nd lowest number of air frosts; only 1988 has a lower total (0). There was the 7th lowest total of ground frosts since 1874. Rainfall was a little below average, so too sunshine hours.
Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University