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 (28th)
Absolute minimum: 0.3 (14th)
Mean grass minimum: 4.9 Difference from average: +0.4
Absolute grass minimum: -2.7 (14th)
Mean concrete minimum: 6.6
Absolute concrete minimum: 0.2 (14th)
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 (8th)
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 31st October 2024: 196.9 Difference from average: +9.0
6-month total rainfall to 31st October 2024: 361.0 Difference from average: +6.7
12-month total rainfall to 31st 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 (14th)
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 (20th, WSW, 00:00)
Comments on October 2024
Mean air temperature for October 2024 was the 20th 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 28th (18.3 °C), although this is nowhere near the highest maximum ever recorded in October at Durham (25.3 °C, 1st October 2011). Rainfall was a little above average, so too sunshine – the 31st sunniest since 1880. Storm Ashley produced a gust of 83.7 kph late on the 20th.
Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University