This section presents information on the baseline climate across the region.

It uses the most recent set of climate averages for the UK, published by the Met Office.  These cover the following climate variables for the period 1971-2000 (commonly referred to as ‘the 1980s’):

Temperature

• Maximum temperature – January average;
• Maximum temperature – July average;
• Minimum temperature – January average;
• Minimum temperature – July average;

Sunshine hours

• Sunshine duration – Annual average;

Rainfall

• Rainfall amount – Annual average;
• Rainfall amount – Seasonal average;
• Days of rain ≥ 1mm – Annual average;

Frost

• Days of air frost – Annual average;
• Days of ground frost – Annual average; and

Snow

• Days of snow lying – Annual average.

These values are considered to be the best available representation of the present baseline climate across the region. 

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The region’s climate is strongly influenced by two principal factors:

• Altitude; and
• Proximity to the coast.

The baseline temperature varies across the region and this can be attributed to both the proximity to the coast and the land’s altitude and topography. 

The latent heat of the sea means that it warms up and cools at a slower rate than the land, resulting in sea temperatures having a big influence on air temperatures close to the coast.   This means that the warmest temperatures are usually along the coastal margin.  The inland sites have a slightly lower baseline temperature as they are too far inland to be influenced by sea temperatures.  The upland baseline temperatures are lower again still and this is due to their increased altitude compared to the other sites. 

This results in a temperature gradient across the region, from the typically cooler uplands of the Cheviots and the north Pennines to the warmer climate of the lower lying inland areas and warmer still at the coastline.

The baseline rainfall, snowfall and frost also vary across the region, and this is attributable to altitude.  Greater rainfall, snowfall and frost occurs in upland areas compared with the lowlands and coastal locations.