It was a month of two halves, with the coldest first fortnight of February for 11 years, but the warmest second half since 1998. There was a temperature range of 37 degrees, between a low of -18.3C and a high of 18.7C. High pressure was very dominant, which helps to explain why it was such a dry month. During the first half of the month this was a ridge extending from a strong Russian anticyclone, and this is why it was so cold. High pressure became centred near southern England after mid month, however, with winds switching direction to bring much milder south-west to westerly flows.
Temperatures
The mean maximum temperature in February ranged from 9.8C at Murlough, Co. Down, to 5C at Thorncliffe, Staffordshire. The Central England Temperature (CET) was 4C, which is 0.5 degrees below the long-term mean, around halfway in the ranking of the last 100 years. The highest individual temperature was 18.7C at Coleshill in Warwickshire on 23 February, while the lowest reading was early on 11 February when the temperature at Chesham, Buckinghamshire, fell to -18.3C.
Rainfall
Averaged across England and Wales there was only 31mm of rain through February, which is 47% of the climatic average, the lowest for February since 1998. Only 13 Februaries have been drier in the past century. Scotland had 60mm, which is 88% of average, while Northern Ireland had 46mm, or 79% of its average. The wettest place, as it was in both December and January, was Cluanie Inn, Wester Ross, where 310mm of precipitation fell. Shoeburyness, Essex, epitomised the dryness of the east and south-east, receiving a scant 6mm.
Sunshine
England and Wales had an average 78 hours of sunshine, which is 93% of the mean, making it the sunniest February for only four years. Scotland had 62 hours, or 78% of its average, while Northern Ireland recorded an averaged 44 hours of sunshine, just 54% of the average. Southampton, Hampshire, had the largest amount of sunshine nationally, with 103 hours, while Tiree, Inner Hebrides, had the lowest, recording only 34 hours.