June 2026
SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY
June 2026
Temperatures (all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1991-2020)
Mean daily maximum: 20.7 Difference from average: +2.7
Mean daily minimum: 11.6 Difference from average: +2.3
Mean air temperature: 16.2 Difference from average: +2.5
Absolute maximum: 30.7 (26th)
Absolute minimum: 6.8 (11th)
Mean grass minimum: 9.9 Difference from average: +2.3
Absolute grass minimum: 3.8 (15th)
Mean concrete minimum: 11.8
Absolute concrete minimum: 5.8 (10th)
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: 16.0
Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 14.0
Rainfall (all totals in millimetres; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 39.2 Difference from average: -22.0
Percentage of the average: 64.1%
Wettest day: 15.4 (2nd)
Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 14 Difference from average: -1
Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 9 Difference from average: -1
3-month total rainfall to 30th June 2026: 149.2 Difference from average: -7.7
6-month total rainfall to 30th June 2026: 321.2 Difference from average: +24.7
12-month total rainfall to 30th June 2026: 723.0 Difference from average: +42.8
Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 192.6 Difference from average: +28.2
Percentage of the average: 117.2%
Mean daily sunshine: 6.21 Difference from average: +0.73
Sunniest day: 10.8 (21st) 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: 1.6
Maximum gust: 17.9 (12th, 18:00, WSW)
Pressure (mbar; data from the West Building roof, Lower Mountjoy campus)
Average: 1012.2
Maximum: 1029.4 (21st, 21:45) Minimum: 984.6 (4th, 04:45 – 05:15)
Comments on June 2026
June started relatively cool and the temperature did not reach 20 °C until the 12th. From the 17th to the 27th, the weather was very much warmer with a five-day heatwave (23rd – 27th: maximum temperatures of 29.5, 28.8, 28.4, 30.7 and 27.7 °C). This is the 16th June heatwave at Durham since 1844. The maximum temperature of 30.7 °C is the hottest June day on record at Durham since 1844, surpassing the previous record (30.4 °C) in 1925. The minimum temperature of 16.6 C on the 24th is the 8th highest minimum for June on record. The mean maximum temperature was the same as last year, 3rd equal highest on record. The mean minimum temperature was also the same as last year, 2nd equal highest on record. It follows therefore that the mean air temperature was the same as last year, the equal second hottest June on record, exceeded only by the remarkable June 1846.
June was drier than normal, but it was only the 76th wettest June in 176 years, so not notably dry. There was significant rainfall on only one day: 15.4 mm on the 2nd. Not surprisingly it was sunnier than normal, the 44th sunniest June since 1882.
Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University