WEATHER REVIEW - February 2007

 

Headline: A brief cold spell during the second week with snow, but otherwise generally mild and very wet.

February opened as high pressure was driving into the UK from the south-west. Over the next few days high pressure was to become the dominant influence across the UK.  So the month started dry with some good spells of sunshine and, although winds were coming from a mainly north-westerly direction daytime highs still managed to reach nearly 12C on the 2nd, significantly mild for the time of year. However, the clear skies did see overnight temperatures drop quite markedly with an air frost recorded on the 3rd. 

The high pressure lying across the UK slipped southwards towards mainland Europe by the 5th but was to be replaced by a ridge of high pressure extending from Iceland. This high drove a cold front southwards across the UK producing a short cold snap. Clear skies overnight between the 6th and 7th saw temperatures fall away to -5.8C, the coldest night in February since 1991. Temperatures remained bitterly cold across the county over the next few days and as a frontal system pushed eastwards on the 8th the resulting snow was inevitable. Snow fell throughout the morning at Pitsford, finally easing off during the afternoon. Further fronts brought more snow to the county on the 9th, adding to the previous day’s accumulation. 8cm of lying snow was measured at Pitsford at 0900hrs. The heaviest of the snow on the 9th fell during the afternoon as milder air pushed in from the south-west.

The UK remained under the influence of low pressure moving slowly across Ireland over the next few days. Some strong south-westerly winds drove milder air across the UK. Winds at Pitsford on the 12th reached gusts of 44mph and the last overnight air frost for February was recorded on the 10th. Temperatures during the rest of February remained above average both by day and overnight.  A ridge of high pressure tried to move in from France on the 13th but was soon displaced by further Atlantic weather systems. A deep and vigorous low developed south of Iceland between the 15th and 16th driving some blustery showers across the county.

From the 17th an area of high pressure had regained some control over the UK.  Winds, which had remained moderate to fresh over the previous few days,  had eased. However, a weak frontal system still managed to produce some light showers on the 18th. However, by the 20th this high had disappeared giving ground to yet again to another active frontal system which drove bands of rain across the county.  This system would lead a train of depressions which would cross the UK throughout the rest of February.  Showers and longer spells of rain would leave the county heavily waterlogged with reports of the reservoir at Pitsford reaching full capacity and overflowing. Nearly 6mm of rain was recorded over 5.5hrs on the 23rd and over 6mm of rain would fall on both the 26th and 27th.

With low pressure over the North Sea on the 26th a fairly keen north-westerly wind was introduced across the UK with gusts at Pitsford reaching 40mph. As the month came to a close, winds remained generally fresh to strong maintained by a fairly vigorous low which passed close to the north coast of Scotland. The pattern was only briefly interrupted late on the 26th as a ridge of high pressure extending north from France brought clearer skies and a ground frost. This quickly gave way to low pressure the following day. 


Air Temperatures    
The Highest Maximum:  12.1C on 21st
The Lowest Maximum:  0.2C on 8th
The Highest Minimum:  7.0C on 20th & 24th
The Lowest Minimum:  -5.8C on 7th
The Mean Maximum:  8.9C  
The Mean Minimum:   2.6C  
The Overall Mean:   5.8C  
Difference from the Monthly Mean: +1.1C  
    
Relative Humidity:    
Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 100.0% on 17th 
Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 79.3% on 16th
Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900): 93.4%  
    
Dew Point:    
The Highest Dew Point (0900):  8.7C on 20th
The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900): -4.1C on 7th
The Mean Dew Point (at 0900): 4.0C  
    
Rainfall:    
Total:    69.8mm  
Difference from the Monthly Mean: 185.2%  
Duration:    73.0hrs  
Highest 24 hour fall (0900 to 0900): 12.7mm on 9th
Rain Days (>/=0.2mm):  20   
Wet Days (>/=1.0mm):  15   
    
Sunshine:    
Total Duration of Bright Sunshine: 64.2hrs  
Sunniest day:   7.0hrs on 3rd
No. of days without sunshine:  4   
Difference from the Monthly Mean: 104.6%  
Cloud cover (mean at 0900):  6.1oktas (76.3%)
    
Pressure (reduced to sea level):    
The Highest Pressure:  1040.8mb on 3rd
The Lowest Pressure:  976.0mb on 12th
Mean Pressure (recorded at 0900): 1007.0mb  
    
Winds    
Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs): 126.4miles  
Mean daily wind speed:  6.8mph  
Run of wind (cumulative):  3539.0miles  
Highest Maximum Gust:  44mph on 12th
No. of gusts of 50mph or more: 0   
Highest wind strength (at 0900): 19.6mph on 15th
Mean wind strength (at 0900):  6.7mph  
    
Winds from the Following Directions: 
   
N 3 NE 1 E 1 SE 4 S 6 SW 2 W 3 NW 4 Calm 4   
    

Ground Temperatures:     
Lowest Grass Minimum:  -10.2C on 7th
Mean Grass Minimum:  -1.2C  
Lowest Concrete Minimum:  -6.8C on 7th
Mean Concrete Minimum:  0.7C  
Lowest Bare Earth Minimum:  -3.6C on 8th
Mean Bare Earth Minimum:  1.5C  
    
Soil/Earth Temperatures:     
Surface mean:   4.5C  
5cm mean:   4.4C  
10cm mean:   4.6C  
20cm mean:   5.0C  
30cm mean:   5.0C  
40cm mean:   5.0C  
50cm mean:   5.3C  
100cm mean:   5.7C  
    
Days with:    
Thunder:    0   
Hail <5mm:   0   
Hail >/=5mm:   0   
Snow or snow & rain:  2: 7th & 8th
Snow lying:   3: 8th, 9th & 10th   
Fog:    1   
Air Frost:    8
Duration of Air Frost:  61.0hrs   
Ground Frost:   14   
Gales:    0   
    
Total (Pan) Evaporation:  5.62mm 

All data © Pitsford Hall weather station.
Click here to view the full climatological register for February 2007. 
Click here to view the full AWS weather record for February 2007.
Click here to view the statistical summary for 2007.

The weather station publishes a full Monthly Weather Report (ISSN 1741-4733) which is distributed to libraries across Northamptonshire. This report comprises a full UK weather diary, reports of extreme weather events across the county, statistics from Pitsford Hall's affiliated stations across the county as well as news from the weather station itself. Individuals may download this report for £2 or take out an annual subscription for the paper-based report for £25. Click here for further details.