November 2018

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

Mean daily maximum: 9.8
Difference from average: +1.1

Mean daily minimum: 5.1
Difference from average: +2.4

Mean air temperature: 7.5
Difference from average: +1.8

Absolute maximum: 13.3 (4th)

Absolute minimum: -1.3 (22nd)

Mean grass minimum: 2.8

Absolute grass minimum: -3.5 (22nd)

Mean concrete minimum: 3.2

Absolute concrete minimum: -2.2 (22nd)

Number of ground frosts: 7

Number of air frosts: 2

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth: 8.2

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth: 9.9

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

Total for the month: 62.4
Difference from average: +0.4

Percentage of the average: 101%

Wettest day: 10.2 (21st)

Number of rain days (>0.25mm): 21

Number of wet days (=> 1mm): 16

3-month total rainfall to 30th November: 159.8
Difference from average: -24.8

6-month rainfall total to 30th November: 296.4
Difference from average: -84.8

12-month rainfall total to 30th November: 620.6
Difference from average: -28.4

Humidity
(averages for 09:00 hours GMT)

Relative Humidity: 87%

Sunshine
(all averages 1961 – 1990)

Total for the month: 42.3 hours
Difference from average: -23.8

Percentage of the average: 64%

Mean daily sunshine: 1.4 hours
Difference from average: -0.8

Sunniest day: 2.5 hours (22nd)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 4

Cumulative total sunshine since 1st January: 1237.3 hours
Difference from average: -46.3

ISSN1350-483

Comments on November 2018
This was the 14th equal warmest November at Durham since 1850, the warmest since 2014. Of the 17 Novembers with a mean of 7.5°C or above, 8 have come since 2000. Daytime temperatures were well above average if not exceptionally so, ranking equal 26th highest since 1900. Minimum temperatures were even more notable, the equal 6th highest since 1900. Rainfall was very close to average and all long-term totals remain below average. It was the 15th least sunny November since 1882; no doubt the high cloud cover contributed to the high night-time temperatures with only 7 ground frosts and only 2 air frosts.

There were gaps in the record 5th-8th and 9th-10th and I am grateful to Dave O’Hara (Gilesgate) for infills.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University