July 2026
SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY
July 2026
Temperatures (all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1991-2020)
Mean daily maximum: 22.8 Difference from average: +2.6
Mean daily minimum: 13.1 Difference from average: +1.8
Mean air temperature: 17.9 Difference from average: +2.1
Absolute maximum: 30.3 (9th)
Absolute minimum: 8.7 (19th)
Mean grass minimum: 11.0 Difference from average: +1.5
Absolute grass minimum: 5.3 (19th)
Mean concrete minimum: 14.2
Absolute concrete minimum: 9.7 (19th)
Number of ground frosts: 0 Difference from average: 0
Number of air frosts: 0 Difference from average: 0
Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth: 18.6
Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 16.5
Rainfall (all totals in millimetres; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 5.4 Difference from average: -56.6
Percentage of the average: 8.7%
Wettest day: 2.2 (1st, 25th)
Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 4 Difference from average: -11
Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 2 Difference from average: -9
3-month total rainfall to 31st July 2026: 133.4 Difference from average: -34.3
6-month total rainfall to 31st July 2026: 262.6 Difference from average: -42.9
12-month total rainfall to 31st July 2026: 676.0 Difference from average: -4.2
Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 237.4 Difference from average: +62.2
Percentage of the average: 135.5 %
Mean daily sunshine: 7.66 Difference from average: +2.01
Sunniest day: 11.9 (10th) 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 (m/s; data from the West Building roof, Lower Mountjoy campus)
Average wind speed: 1.9
Maximum gust: 16.5 (2nd, 13:00, W)
Pressure (mbar; data from the West Building roof, Lower Mountjoy campus)
Average: 1019.3
Maximum: 1030.6 (12th, 12:00) Minimum: 997.8 (26th, 04:45)
Comments on 2026
The mean air temperature (17.9 °C) is the equal third highest for July since 1844, surpassed only in 2006 and 2013. The mean maximum temperature (22.8 °C) is the equal 4th highest on record, and the mean minimum (13.1 °C) is the third highest. Unlike most of England further south, the Durham heatwave lasted just three days, the minimum length to qualify, with maximum temperatures as follows: 8th (29.0 °C), 9th (30.3 °C) and 10th (28.4 °C). The 9th was the 8th hottest July day since 1850. There was the 3rd highest mean minimum temperature (13.1 °C) exceeded only in 2022 (13.3 °C) and 1852 (13.2 °C). For only the second time (also in 2022), there have been two successive months at Durham Observatory with absolute maxima over 30 °C.
This was the 2nd driest July on record; only July 1878 was drier (3.7 mm). Not surprisingly, all the long-term totals are now below average. There was the second-lowest number of rain days (4) in July; only July 1955 had fewer (3). It was, not surprisingly, a very sunny month, the 4th sunniest July on record, and the sunniest July since the record holder, July 2006 (273.2 hours).
Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University