November 2024
SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY
November 2024
Temperatures (all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1991-2020)
Mean daily maximum: 9.9 Difference from average: +0.3
Mean daily minimum: 3.4 Difference from average: -0.2
Mean air temperature: 6.6 Difference from average: 0.0
Absolute maximum: 15.3 (1st)
Absolute minimum: -3.9 (21st)
Mean grass minimum: 1.5 Difference from average: -0.2
Absolute grass minimum: -9.6 (21st)
Mean concrete minimum: 2.7
Absolute concrete minimum: -5.2 (21st)
Number of ground frosts: 14 Difference from average: +3
Number of air frosts: 9 Difference from average: +4
Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth: 9.3
Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 11.1
Rainfall (all totals in millimeters; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 19.0 Difference from average: -54.4
Percentage of the average: 26.6%
Wettest day: 11.2 (23rd)
Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 12 Difference from average: -7
Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 5
3-month total rainfall to 30th November 2024: 189.8 Difference from average: +3.2
6-month total rainfall to 30th November 2024: 304.4 Difference from average: -49.9
12-month total rainfall to 30th November 2024: 745.0 Difference from average: +64.0
Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 71.6 Difference from average: +3.5
Percentage of the average: 105%
Mean daily sunshine: 2.4 Difference from average: +0.1
Sunniest day: 6.9 (21st)
Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 2
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: 3.7
Maximum gust: 61.2 (25th, 08:00, WSW
Comments on November 2024
After some very mild days in the first half of the month, cold days in the second half of the month meant that the mean air temperature (MAT) was exactly average. It was still the equal 44th highest MAT since 1850, but the lowest since 2019. The mean maximum was the 33rd highest since 1850 while the mean minimum was the equal 56th highest; thus, in relation to the long Durham record, November was relatively mild if still rather disappointing compared to recent years. The absolute minimum was the equal 81st lowest since 1900 (n=3779). The number of ground frosts was equal to 2017 and highest number since 2016 (16).; overall, this is the equal 74th highest total for November in 151 years. The number of air frosts was equal 121st highest in 173 years.
This was the 9th driest November since 1850, the driest since 2004. Sunshine was just above average. Storm Bert produced a gust of 61.2 kph at 08:00 on the 25th.
Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University