Local Forecasts, History & Records
May 2013 felt disappointing although in fact mean air temperature was just a little above average; daytime temperatures were just a little above average and night-time temperatures just a little below. Rainfall was well above average so that the running 12-month total remained above 1000mm for the 6th month in a row, a remarkable sequence. There were heavy falls on …
It was the coldest March since 1962 for the UK. Forecaster Charlie explains why it was so cold and what kind of weather characterised the month. Here was the scene from the Pennines in County Durham early in April 2013 with the snow cover lingering.
The Winter of 1962-63 was one of the coldest ever recorded in the United Kingdom. Here is a summary of the winter as it occurred. How long did the winter of 1963 last? Here’s an excellent video of how it all unfolded, by Scott Richards. December 1962. Cold (1.8C CET), and generally quite sunny, although smog early in the month …
In summary, as noted at some length, 2012 was easily the wettest year on record at Durham since records began in 1850. The total of 1033mm is remarkable, more than 100mm larger than the previous record in 1872 (914.9mm). In statistical terms, the probability of an annual total this large is something less than 1 in 10,000 – so perhaps …
The very wet Summer of 2012 continued into Autumn. The River Wear burst it’s banks again in Durham. This red car (Ford Ka) became quite famous as it bobbed about in front of the new Radisson Hotel (due to open a couple of months after this photo was taken). A view of the flood from the Passport Office/National Savings Building. …
Flooding at Croxdale, near Durham in the phenomenally wet summer of 2012. The River Browney, a tributary of the Wear, snakes past the hotel and is prone to flooding. Flood prevention here has stopped things getting as bad as previous years. The hotel has been flooded out on many occasions in the past (see photo below). June was particularly poor. …
The harsh winter of 1978-79 The winter of 1978-79 was the coldest winter since the infamous winter of 1962-63. Here is a summary of the winter by month. November 1978. Very warm until a northerly outbreak on the 24th. Although it was mild and dry in the south, it was wet and often stormy in the north. Gale-force Northerlies brought …
Following a below-average year in 2010, 2011 was a remarkable transformation: the warmest year on record at Durham, equal to 2004 at 9.96°C (to two decimal places) but 10°C to all intents and purposes! There was a remarkably low number of ground frosts, only 78; only 2002 (71), 2003 (77) and 2004 (67) have had fewer. Only 2000 (19) and …
The coldest since ….. I’ve seen several reports in the newspapers and online saying last winter was ‘the coldest since 1962-63’. This is a little bit misleading. Whilst it had one particularly cold month (December 2010), last winter was not particularly cold overall (if we take the winter months December to February). It’s average was 3.1 degC. This was because, …
For the year as a whole, mean air temperature in 2010 (8.3°C) was below average (8.6°C, 1961 – 1990) for the first time since 1996 when the same mean was recorded. It was the 62nd coldest year in Durham since 1850, so not in the lowest quartile. The 2010 mean was the coldest for any 12 – month period since …
This list has been compiled from CET records after we experienced the coldest December for more than a century in Durham. In a climate that has shown a seemingly inexorable rise in temperature, December 2010 came as a huge shock to the system. Christmas Day 2010 ranks third in a series going back to 1772, marginally behind 1830. Coldest Christmas …
The River Wear froze in Durham in late November/December 2010. Here’s a daily weather diary of the period with photographs of the brutal spell of weather we hadn’t experienced for a long time. November/December 2010 25th Nov Snow cover at 0900hrs. 2″ in Ferryhill, 5-6″ in Newcastle. 26th Nov Snow cover continuing. Brighter, with improvement in road conditions …