October 2024

SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY

October 2024

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

Mean daily maximum: 14.4   Difference from average: +0.9

Mean daily minimum: 7.3      Difference from average: +0.8

Mean air temperature: 10.85  Difference from average: +0.8

Absolute maximum: 18.3 (28^th)

Absolute minimum: 0.3 (14^th)

Mean grass minimum: 4.9      Difference from average: +0.4

Absolute grass minimum: -2.7 (14^th)

Mean concrete minimum: 6.6

Absolute concrete minimum: 0.2 (14^th)

Number of ground frosts: 3    Difference from average: -2

Number of air frosts: 0           Difference from average: -1

Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth: 12.4

Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth: 13.1

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

Total for the month: 73.0        Difference from average: +9.3

Percentage of the average: 115%

Wettest day: 24.8 (8^th)

Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 16   Difference from average: -2

Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 10

3-month total rainfall to 31^st October 2024: 196.9      Difference from average: +9.0

6-month total rainfall to 31^st October 2024: 361.0      Difference from average: +6.7

12-month total rainfall to 31^st October 2024: 812.0     Difference from average: +131.0

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

Total for the month: 110.6                  Difference from average: +12.0

Percentage of the average: 112%

Mean daily sunshine: 3.7                    Difference from average: +0.3

Sunniest day: 7.9 (14^th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 3

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: 4.5

Maximum gust: 83.7 (20^th, WSW, 00:00)

Comments on October 2024

Mean air temperature for October 2024 was the 20^th highest in 182 years. All four Octobers in the 2020s have been in the top 20% for October mean air temperature; the last below-average temperature in October was 2020. The highest maximum came very late in the month, on the 28^th (18.3 °C), although this is nowhere near the highest maximum ever recorded in October at Durham (25.3 °C, 1^st October 2011). Rainfall was a little above average, so too sunshine – the 31^st sunniest since 1880. Storm Ashley produced a gust of 83.7 kph late on the 20^th.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt

Department of Geography

Durham University

[email protected]