PITSFORD HALL WEATHER STATION NORTHAMPTON, UNITED KINGDOM MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT - FEBRUARY 2003 Headline: A dry month with less than half the average rainfall for February. Very mild second week followed by a cold snap in the third week. February opened on a changeable theme as low pressure tracked between Iceland and Scandinavia. There were some days of pleasant sunshine, but generally temperatures were depressed and snow showers broke out on the 1st, 3rd and 4th and light rain showers on other days. Frosts were commonplace overnight and ground frosts became quite severe on the 5th (-8.0C) and 6th. However, it did turn mild on the 7th as winds swung round from the south. The second week began a mild spell as Atlantic frontal systems crossed the county. Rainfall was noticeable on the 8th and 10th. Passage of the eastward moving weather fronts was arrested by a developing area of high pressure to the east from the 12th onwards which produced grey and murky conditions at first and then a transition to typical cold and dry anticyclonic weather. The cold snap lasted through to the 19th. Winds were frequent easterlies, sometimes south-easterlies, and although some pleasant sunny spells were had by day, overnight frosts again became commonplace with some pretty cold mornings towards the end of this period. The lowest overnight minimum of -5.2C was recorded on the 18th. High pressure then waned and Atlantic systems again prevailed bringing changeable conditions through to the 26th. Although there were still frequent overnight frosts, by day the mostly southerly airflow made it feel respectably mild. It remained dry across the county, despite some fairly cloudy days and a lot of low cloud, mist and fog around in the mornings (22nd and 24th). The month ended on an unsettled note as an intensifying Atlantic low drove bands of heavy rain across the country, although amounts were modest in the county with just 2.3mm recorded on the 28th. Air Temperatures The Highest Maximum: 13.5C on 27th The Lowest Maximum: 2.0C on 13th & 17th The Highest Minimum: 7.1C on 9th The Lowest Minimum: -5.2C on 18th The Mean Maximum: 7.4C The Mean Minimum: -0.1C The Overall Mean: 3.7C Difference from the Monthly Mean: -0.8C Relative Humidity: Highest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 100.0% on 22nd Lowest Relative Humidity (at 0900): 66.0% on 15th Mean Relative Humidity (at 0900): 91.1% Dew Point: The Highest Dew Point (at 0900): 7.3C on 9th The Lowest Dew Point (at 0900): -3.8C on 17th The Mean Dew Point (at 0900): 1.1C Rainfall: Total: 17.3mm Difference from the Monthly Mean: 46.0% Duration: 19.9hrs Highest 24 hour fall (from 0900): 5.7mm on 8th Rain Days (>/=0.2mm): 9 Wet Days (>/=1.0mm): 4 Sunshine: Total Duration of Bright Sunshine: 73.9hrs Sunniest day: 6.7hrs on 15th Sunless days: 2 Cloud cover (mean at 0900): 5.9oktas (73.8%) Pressure (reduced to sea level): The Highest Pressure: 1040.0mb on 17th The Lowest Pressure: 991.9mb on 3rd Mean Pressure (recorded at 0900): 1018.9 mb Winds Run of wind (mean over 24 hrs): 119.2miles Mean daily wind speed: 6.5mph Highest mean wind speed (over 24 hrs): 12.4mph on 8th & 28th Run of wind (to date): 3338.5miles Highest Maximum Gust: 46mph on 4th Highest wind strength (at 0900): 21.9mph on 3rd Mean wind strength (at 0900): 6.9mph Winds from the Following Directions: N 1 NE 1 E 8 SE 4 S 8 SW 1 W 0 NW 3 Calm 2 Ground Temperatures: Lowest Grass Minimum: -8.0C on 5th Mean Grass Minimum: -2.9C Lowest Concrete Minimum: -6.4C on 18th Mean Concrete Minimum: -1.3C Lowest Bare Earth Minimum: -4.0C on 5th Mean Bare Earth Minimum: -0.3C Soil/Earth Temperatures: Surface mean: 2.3C 5cm mean: 2.1C 10cm mean: 2.6C 20cm mean: 3.3C 30cm mean: 3.4C 40cm mean: 3.4C 50cm mean: 3.8C 100cm mean: 4.4C Days with: Thunder: 0 Hail less than 0.5mm: 0 Hail greater than/equal to 0.5mm: 0 Snow or snow & rain: 3 Fog 3 Ground frost: 23 Air Frost: 16 Duration of Air Frost: 106hrs Total Evaporation (tank): Not recorded. Reinstated on 1 March 2003. All data © Pitsford Hall weather station.