A warm year – but where was summer?

Jan 10 2008 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

A WARM winter, lovely spring and a disappointing summer – that was the story of last year’s weather.

But overall 2007 was the fourth warmest year since records began in 1850, says Durham University weather observatory.

April – and the whole of the spring at an average of 9.4C – proved the warmest on record.

January was the second warmest, and the winter generally the third warmest, being beaten only by 1989 and 1998.

But if the warm winter and spring led North-Easterners to expect a Med-style summer, they were to be disappointed.

It was the 12th wettest summer on record – and the 12th worst summer since 1886.

January

Sunshine was well above average – the best since this type of record began to be kept from 1882. Since 1850, only January 1916 has been milder.

February

The 19th equal warmest on record since 1850. There was a wide range of temperatures, from -4.2C on the 6th to 13.8C on the 2nd – the warmest February day since 1998 when 16.7ºC was registered.

March

A very mild month, with daily maximum exceeding 10ºC on no less than 18 days. It was more than 3ºC warmer than March 2006. Rainfall was low with less than 50% of the normal amount and there were only four days without any sunshine.

April

The warmest on record at Durham since 1850, beating the previous record holder, April 1949, by 0.9ºC. Only April 17 2003 (24.1ºC) has been a hotter April day in Durham than April 16 2007. It was only the third time since 1962 that there has been no air frost in April. From the 5th to the 15th, only one day had a maximum below 15ºC with both the 5th and the 15th above 20ºC, one of the warmest Easter breaks in Durham.

May

After a glorious April, May felt poor but it still turned out to be above average temperature, mainly because night-time temperatures were well above average.

June

If May was disappointing, June felt worse. Nevertheless, daytime maximum temperatures were exactly average for the time of year. It was the seventh wettest June at Durham since 1852 and the worst for sunshine since 1987. There were seven days with no sunshine. It was less sunny than May, which was itself less sunny than April and this sequence of less sunshine as the year progresses has now happened seven times in the April-June period since 1882, most recently in 2002.

July

Another disappointing month. The nights were warmer than usual, balancing the relatively cool days. It had the lowest maximum temperature since 1965, which strengthened the impression of a bad month. Following the second driest July on record in 2006, this was the wettest July since 1940 and the 12th wettest since 1852. It was also the third month in a row with below average sunshine.

August

It was the coolest August since 1999 but it was a dry month, with the fewest number of rain days since April. Despite low rainfall, sunshine was just about average. The university’s Prof Tim Burt said: “Perhaps it was the combination of high rainfall and average temperatures that made the summer seem so poor in many people's eyes.” Using a summer weather index of temperature, rainfall and sunshine, 2007 was the worst since 1987. 2006 is ranked eighth best. “The contrast with 2006 seemed to be what strengthened the sense of disappointment,” said Prof Burt.

September

Above average temperature but not nearly as warm as September 2006.It was a dry month, with the lowest number of rain days since 1985.

October

The month seemed mild, due largely to warm daytime temperatures. It was again a very dry month.

November

The equal 23rd warmest since 1850. The maximum of 17ºC on the 2nd was the warmest November day since 1982 and overall, it was the 12th warmest autumn on record.

December

Temperatures were exactly average.