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June 2021

SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY

June 2021

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

Mean daily maximum: 19.6 Difference from average: +1.6
Mean daily minimum: 10.1 Difference from average: +0.8
Mean air temperature: 14.8 Difference from average: +1.2
Absolute maximum: 24.3 (24th)
Absolute minimum: 4.1 (22nd)
Mean grass minimum: 8.5
Absolute grass minimum: 1.5 (22nd)
Mean concrete minimum: 10.8
Absolute concrete minimum: 3.3 (22nd)
Number of ground frosts: 0
Number of air frosts: 0
Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth: 16.5
Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 13.8

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

Total for the month: 28.8 Difference from average: -32.4
Percentage of the average: 47%
Wettest day: 16.2 (24th)
Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 5
Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 3
3-month total rainfall to 30 June 2021: 130.0 Difference from average: -42.0
6-month total rainfall to 30 June 2021: 371.0 Difference from average: +24.8
12-month total rainfall to 30 June 2021: 831.) Difference from average: +182

Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1981-2010)

Total for the month: 189.9 Difference from average: 25.5
Percentage of the average: 116%
Mean daily sunshine: 6.3 Difference from average: +0.9
Sunniest day: 10.3 (1st)
Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 1
Cumulative sunshine since 1st January: 831.1 Difference from average: 57.9

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: 5.4
Maximum gust: 53.1 (11th, 05:30, W)

Comments on June 2021
June was a warm month, with the 11th highest mean air temperature since 1844. The mean maximum air temperature is the 12th equal highest since 1844; this was despite a few cool days, with a maximum of only 12.6 °C on the 25th. The mean minimum is the 8th equal highest on record since 1844.
No rain was recorded for the first 19 days. There were only 5 rain days in all but the total of 16.2 mm on the 24th ensured that it was not a record-breaking month. In the end, the total of 28.8 mm is only the 40th lowest June total since 1850. The driest June on record at Durham is 1925 with only 1.7 mm recorded. Given a dry month, sunshine was above average, although not by a great amount; it is the 96th highest total in 139 years since 1882 (no data for 1884).

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University