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June 2022

SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY

June 2022

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

Mean daily maximum: 19.5   Difference from average: +1.5

Mean daily minimum: 10.2    Difference from average: +0.9

Mean air temperature: 14.9    Difference from average: +1.3

Absolute maximum: 26.1 (22nd)

Absolute minimum: 5.4 (2nd)

Mean grass minimum: 8.5      Difference from average: +0.9

Absolute grass minimum: 3.5 (2nd)

Mean concrete minimum: 11.1

Absolute concrete minimum: 6.3 (2nd)

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: 16.3

Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 14.0

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

Total for the month: 39.8        Difference from average: -21.4

Percentage of the average: 65%

Wettest day: 9.4 (24th)

Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 9     Difference from average: -6

Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 7

3-month total rainfall to 30th June 2022: 116.8             Difference from average: -42.7

6-month total rainfall to 30th June 2022: 238.6             Difference from average: -116.1

12-month total rainfall to 30th June 2022: 602.0          Difference from average: -79.0

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

Total for the month: 199.5      Difference from average: +35.1

Percentage of the average:  121%

Mean daily sunshine: 6.4       Difference from average: +1.0

Sunniest day: 8.5 (20th)

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: 5.4

Maximum gust: 57.9 (11th, 09:15, WSW)

Comments on June 2022

 

In the first heatwave of the month, temperatures in Durham just failed to reach 25 °C, peaking at 24.2 °C on the 17th. In the second heatwave, the temperature reached 26.1 °C on the 22nd and exactly 25 °C the next day. Whilst these maximum June temperatures might seem modest on a national scale, they are still notable at Durham: 24.2 °C ranks equal 244th in a series of 5335 observations since 1844, so in the top 5%; 26.1 C ranks equal 74th, well into the top 2% therefore. Just three June days have ever reached 30 °C with a maximum of 30.4 °C on 10th June 1925. The lowest maximum was 14.2 °C on the 5th, the Sunday of the Platinum Jubilee weekend celebrations. The Queen’s coronation day (2nd June 1953, 7.2 °C) is the coldest June day on record at Durham, so Her Majesty’s celebrations seem plagued by low temperatures and disappointing weather. Perhaps the most notable observation this month is the minimum of 16.8 °C on the 17th which is the 6th warmest June night since 1844. The mean daily minimum is the 10th highest on record since 1844 and the mean daily maximum is the equal 14th highest; the mean air temperature is the 10th highest on record.

Even though there was an ‘absolute’ drought (no rain at all) between the 8th and the 23rd inclusive, it was not a particularly dry month, the 75th driest June in 173 years. As might be expected, there were 6 fewer rain days than normal. All the long-period totals remain well below average, a notable dry spell. It was, of course, a sunny month, with 21% more hours of bright sunshine than usual, the 30th highest June total in 140 years of record. This has been the second sunniest first half of a year since 1881 (941 hours), beaten only in 2020 (955 hours).

For those who have not seen an announcement before, I am pleased to note that Durham weather and climate since 1841 (Stephen Burt & Tim Burt) was published last month by Oxford University Press.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt

Department of Geography

Durham University

[email protected]