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June 2003

June 2003

Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1961 – 1990)

Mean daily maximum: 19.9
Difference from average: +2.4

Mean daily minimum: 10.9
Difference from average: +2.3

Mean air temperature: 15.4
Difference from average: +2.3

Absolute maximum: 24 (1st)

Absolute minimum: 6.8 (3rd)

Mean grass minimum: 9.3

Absolute grass minimum: 3.7 (3rd)

Number of ground frosts: 0

Number of air frosts: 0

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 16.4

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 14.4

Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 34.4
Difference from average: -17.4

Percentage of the average: 66%

Wettest day: 9.0 (17th)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 14

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 10

3-month total rainfall to 30th June 2003: 88.8
Difference from average: -63

6-month rainfall total to 30th June 2003: 172.8
Difference from average: -130.7

12-month rainfall total to 30th June 2003: 631.2
Difference from average: -16.9

Humidity
(Averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 70%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 162.3 hours
Difference from average: -1.4

Percentage of the average: 99%

Mean daily sunshine: 5.4 hours
Difference from average: -0.1

Sunniest day: 12.2 hours (25th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 0

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 832.9 hours
Difference from average: +142.8

Wind

The mean wind speed: 11.7km/h [6.3kt]
Difference from average: +0.3km/hr

The highest gust: 83.3km/h [45kt] from 277° at 18:33 GMT on 19th.

ISSN1350-483

Comments on June 2003
June was remarkably warm. The mean maximum was the warmest since 1992 and the mean minimum the warmest since 1950 (when my available record of mean minimum air temperature begins). At 15.6°C, the mean air temperature for June was 2.3°C above average, the third equal highest (with 1976) since 1850; only 1858 (15.6°C) and 1940 (15.9°C) have had been warmer. Last year, I commented that the first six months of the year were the warmest on record (8.57°C); this year we have experienced only the third warmest January-June on record, a mere 0.1°C lower than in 2002!

It seemed wet in June, with some sharp showers, but the total of 34.4mm is below average. The six-month total of 172.8 is the sixth lowest January-June total on record since 1850, and the 32nd lowest of any 6-month total. The wettest day was the 17th with a total of 9mm.

Sunshine remains well above average for the year, despite only average amounts in June. We have had the 7th sunniest first half to a year since 1882. The record year was 1949 when there had been 907.1 hours of bright sunshine by the end of June, almost 70 hours ahead of the 2003 figure.

Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University