Climate
The area generally has warm summers and relatively mild winters. Weather conditions vary from day to day as well as from season to season. Its latitude means that it is influenced by predominantly westerly winds with depressions and their associated fronts, bringing unsettled and windy weather particularly in winter. Between depressions there are often small mobile anticyclones that bring periods of fine weather. In winter anticyclones bring cold dry weather. In summer the anticyclones tend to bring dry settled conditions which can lead to drought. The two dominant influences on the climate of the Whitby area are shelter against the worst of the moist westerly winds provided by the North York Moors and the proximity of the North Sea. Late, chilly springs and warm summers are a feature of the area but there are often spells of fine autumn weather. Onshore winds in spring and early summer bring mists or low stratus clouds (known locally as sea frets) to the coast and moors.
| Climate data for Whitby 60m asl, 1971-2000, Sunshine 1976-2000 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.7 (44.1) |
6.9 (44.4) |
8.6 (47.5) |
9.9 (49.8) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
18.4 (65.1) |
16.3 (61.3) |
13.0 (55.4) |
9.5 (49.1) |
7.7 (45.9) |
12.01 (53.61) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
1.6 (34.9) |
2.7 (36.9) |
4.0 (39.2) |
6.5 (43.7) |
9.3 (48.7) |
11.6 (52.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
9.6 (49.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
4.2 (39.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
5.98 (42.77) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 51.7 (2.035) |
35.0 (1.378) |
40.3 (1.587) |
40.4 (1.591) |
42.2 (1.661) |
47.6 (1.874) |
43.0 (1.693) |
48.7 (1.917) |
48.5 (1.909) |
49.2 (1.937) |
51.2 (2.016) |
60.2 (2.37) |
558 (21.97) |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 56.8 | 78.6 | 115.4 | 143.8 | 192.7 | 179.5 | 193.5 | 175.4 | 138.5 | 108.7 | 67.8 | 46.1 | 1,496.8 |
| Source: Calculated from Met Office raw monthly data | |||||||||||||
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