Local Forecasts, History & Records
December 2023. Overall very mild. The cold spell in November 2023 persisted into the first week. The lowest temperature of the month, -12.5, was observed at Altnaharra on the 3rd; even Cornwall saw some sharp frosts (-4.7 ay Culdrose on the 2nd). There was heavy snow on the 3rd affecting the Lake District, particulaly the Ambleside region., East Midlands, and …
November 2023 overall saw about average temperatures. The first two weeks were mild and unsettled. It then became rather more settled; it was still mild in the south, but the final ten days were much colder as winds turned to the north, introducing Arctic air. The start of the month continued October’s wet and windy theme with Storm Ciaran bringing …
Mild at first, then cool and very wet (Storm Babet) The very first day of October 2023 delivered a 20 degC marker, which was the highest of the month. It remained very mild until 10th when it became much cooler. The first 10 days averaged 14.7 degC, with a mean max of 17.7 degC. It felt quite balmy. It was …
As so often happens, the weather completely changes in September. The first 10 days in September 2023 averaged 18.5 degC. That would be judged as excellent for a summer month. It was in fact a record breaking heatwave and the highest temperature of the year was recorded during it. This is the first time this has happened since 1962. The …
The poor weather of July 2023 extended into August. There was little respite from the rain, except for a drier week from 6th-13th. Temperatures during the same period were unimpressive, which made it feel less summery than it should have done. Either side of this dry period, there were heavy rains. On the 14th August 2023, there was what can …
We are getting so used to elevated temperatures that occasionally a month comes along that throws a spanner in the works. The worst time that it can possibly happen is in Summer. Against the backdrop of fierce temperatures in Southern Europe and USA, good old Britain gets a swing in the opposite direction. After a record-breaking June, July 2023 has …
June 2023 started cool. The high pressure cell was still in the wrong place for us in Durham, dragging in an Easterly component of wind from the cold North Sea. The long dry spell was ongoing at the beginning of June, with only 0.1 mm of rain to 10th June, and only one day with rain since 19th May 2023 …
May 2023 starts in showery mood May 2023 started in a showery mood on 1st, with heavy rain and a sharp drop in temperature just after lunch. The thermometer dropped from 15.4 degC at 13:31 to 9.8 degC just an hour later. On 9th there were some very heavy showers, especially around mid-day, yielding 8.6mm in total for the day. …
Outdoor Sensor Failure Unfortunately I experienced a failure of the weather station outdoor sensor this month so I have limited direct statistics. Air pressure and rainfall were still recorded, but outside temperatures and humidity were not available from the 6th April 2023. A new sensor was fitted on 26th April, but it needs to be left to ‘soak’ to reach …
Where is Spring in Durham, I hear you ask? That is a question that is being asked more often on social media at the moment and i’m thinking the same thing. We’re getting very used to these mild winter temperatures, but Springs seem to come late. March 2023 can only be described as disappointing. It was pretty cold up to …
Durham Weather in February 2023 There was a very mild and dry start to February 2023. It was in fact the 2nd warmest February in Durham since 1844, surpassed only by February 1998. There was little rain before mid-month. The gale of the 16th/17th caused vibrations in the rain gauge due to the fencing it was attached to moving in …
The first half of January 2023 saw temperatures well above average, with 5 days exceeding the 10 degC mark. The warmest day was the 4th, reaching 11.5 degC. The 10th and 11th were wet, yielding 16.2mm of rain. The 11th turned out to be the wettest day of the month, with 11mm of rain recorded. Rain fell on 23 days, …