September 2022
SUMMARY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL READINGS AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY OBSERVATORY
September 2022
Temperatures (all temperatures in degrees Celsuis; all averages 1991-2020)
Mean daily maximum: 17.9 Difference from average: +0.6
Mean daily minimum: 10.0 Difference from average: +0.8
Mean air temperature: 14.0 Difference from average: +0.7
Absolute maximum: 23.1 (5th)
Absolute minimum: 3.7 (27th)
Mean grass minimum: 8.1 Difference from average: +1.0
Absolute grass minimum: 0.8 (27th)
Mean concrete minimum: 9.6
Absolute concrete minimum: 2.3 (27th)
Number of ground frosts: 0 Difference from average: -1
Number of air frosts: 0 Difference from average: 0
Mean soil temperature at 300 mm depth:
Mean soil temperature at 1000 mm depth:
Rainfall (all totals in millimetres; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 99.0 Difference from average: +42.2
Percentage of the average: 174%
Wettest day: 17.8 (30th)
Number of rain days (>0.1 mm): 20
Number of wet days (=>1.0 mm): 15
3-month total rainfall to 30th September 2022: 161.8 Difference from average: -23.2
6-month total rainfall to 30th September 2022: 278.8 Difference from average: -66.0
12-month total rainfall to 30th September 2022: 605.8 Difference from average: -75.2
Sunshine (all totals in hours; all averages 1991-2020)
Total for the month: 122.8 Difference from average: -9.3
Percentage of the average: 93%
Mean daily sunshine: 4.0 Difference from average: -0.4
Sunniest day: 8.5 (13th)
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: 4.3
Maximum gust: 48.3 (16th, 11:30, WNW
Comments on September 2022
The first few days of September reflected the warmth of summer: for the first time since 1999, all the first seven days of September had a maximum temperature above 20 °C; this also happened in 1939 and 1947. Thereafter, autumn set in, with cooler days and nights, and prospect of a record-breaking September soon receded! Nevertheless, it was still a very warm month, the 13th equal warmest September since 1843. There was the 29th equal highest mean maximum and the 12th equal highest mean minimum. There were no very warm days but the absolute maximum on the 5th (23.1 °C) is nevertheless the 124th equal warmest September day on record. The minimum of 15.4 °C on the 4th is the 19th equal highest absolute minimum on record for September (n=5388). The mean grass minimum is the 12th equal highest on record since 1874. This was the 13th month in a row to be warmer than average.
September was a wet month: the 22nd wettest September since 1850, the first month since May to record above-average rainfall. Sunshine was just below average, the least sunny September since 2017.
Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University