November 2020

Temperatures
(all temperatures in degrees Celsius; all averages 1981 – 2010)

Mean daily maximum: 11.3
Difference from average: +1.9

Mean daily minimum: 5.1
Difference from average: +1.7

Mean air temperature: 8.2
Difference from average: +1.8

Absolute maximum: 18.5 (5th)

Absolute minimum: -2.8 (28th)

Mean grass minimum: 3.8

Absolute grass minimum: -4.7 (28th)

Mean concrete minimum: 4.6

Absolute concrete minimum: -3.9 (28th)

Number of ground frosts: 4

Number of air frosts: 2

Mean soil temperature at 30cm depth:

Mean soil temperature at 100cm depth:

Rainfall
(all totals in millimetres; all averages 1981 – 2010)

Total for the month: 29.0
Difference from average: -40.0

Percentage of the average: 42%

Wettest day: 4.8 (15th)

Number of rain days (>0.2mm): 17

Number of wet days (=>1.0mm): 7

3-month total rainfall to 30th November: 182.6
Difference from average: +10.6

6-month rainfall total to 30th November: 431.6
Difference from average: +85.4

12-month rainfall total to 30th November: 633
Difference from average: -16

Sunshine
(all averages 1981 – 2010)

Total for the month: 64.5 hours
Difference from average: -3.7

Percentage of the average: 95%

Mean daily sunshine: 2.1 hours
Difference from average: 0.2

Sunniest day: 6.3 hours (4th)

Number of days with no recorded sunshine: 2

Cumulative sunshine since 1st January: 1498.5
Difference from average: 111.9

Note: 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
(all data from West Building roof, Lower Mountjoy)

Average wind speed: 5.1kph

Maximum gust: 57.9kph (13:30, 17th, WSW)

ISSN1350-483

Comments on November 2020
This was the fourth mildest November since 1850, 1.8°C above the 1981 – 2010 average. The mean maximum was the fifth highest on record and the mean minimum was sixth highest. The maximum temperature of 18.5°C on the 5th is the third highest November temperature measured at the Durham Observatory since 1900, exceeded only by 18.9°C on 2/11/1927 and 4/11/1946. The minimum temperature of 11.8°C on the 18th is the equal 12th warmest November night since 1900. The number of air frost is the 13th equal lowest since 1850; there have been seven Novembers with just one air frost and six with none. There were an estimated four ground frosts (but see note below).

November was a dry month, well below average, the 28th driest November since 1850. Despite the low rainfall total, the number of rain days was exactly average. The Met Office reported that Tyne and Wear had its driest November in 60 years, receiving only 24% (16.7mm) of its monthly average rainfall. The driest November on record for Tyne and Wear was in 1958 seeing 14.2mm of rainfall. This November is now the second driest November on record for Tyne and Wear, which was also the driest area in the UK. For Durham, we only have to go back to 2011 for a drier November (27.2mm) but 1958 remains the driest on record since 1850 with only 12.2mm. Whilst it seemed a dull month, average sunshine for November was only a little below average.

Mean air temperature at Durham Observatory this Autumn was 10.3°C. This is the 15th mildest autumn since 1850. Total precipitation was 182.6mm, almost exactly the average amount. There were 283 hours of bright sunshine, 94% of average. Only four autumns have been duller this century.

Note that there were several days when ground minimum and soil temperatures were not recorded. I am grateful to Mike Rider and Ken Cook for help with data infill. Grass minimum temperature for the missing period are taken from Newton Hall. Met Office engineers investigated the problem; rodents had eaten the cable! All sorted from midday on the 25th.

Emeritus Professor Tim Burt
Department of Geography
Durham University