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graphs      CLIMATE-UK.COM'S  REVIEW  OF  THE  BRITISH  METEOROLOGICAL  SCENE
     MONTHLY  SUMMARY
     No. 614 For   FEBRUARY  2007
    WINTRY SPELL 4TH-10TH, OTHERWISE VERY UNSETTLED AND GENERALLY MILD WITH FREQUENT RAIN
Text Box: The first week was mainly anticyclonic, but from the 8th onwards a very disturbed cyclonic/southerly type held sway with only one or two brief interruptions. Mean monthly sea-level pressure was below normal over practically the whole of Europe and the Atlantic Ocean south of latitude 65°N, and over the British Isles pressure anomaly ranged from -7mbar in Shetland to -11mbar in western Ireland. The anomalous flow over the UK was SW-ly in the south and SE-ly in the north. High pressure lay over or close to the UK until the 4th when it retreated to Iceland, allowing a cold Arctic airflow to affect the country for the next three days. Much of Britain was dry with long sunny periods throughout the first week; at first it was very mild, the temperature climbing to 12-14°C on each of the first four days, peaking at 14.7°C at Dyce (Aberdeenshire) on the afternoon of the 1st, but nights became frosty from the 2nd/3rd onwards, and by the 5th it turned much colder by day too. Altnaharra (Sutherland) recorded a maximum of -3.0°C on the 7th and the following night Sennybridge (Breconshire) had a minimum of -9.7°C. The sun shone for 8.8 hours on the 4th at Wittering (Cambs), while Waddington (Lincs) recorded 49 hours of sunshine between the 1st and 7th. From the 8th-10th low pressure lay southwestward of the UK and a series of fronts made slow and erratic progress northwards across the British Isles. Snow fell heavily in southern and central parts of England and Wales on the 8th although it melted quickly in southernmost counties; elsewhere it lay 10cm or more deep, with 15cm at Whipsnade (Beds). That night the temperature fell to -10.7°C at Altnaharra. Further heavy snow hit Wales, parts of the Midlands and northern England on the 9th with 27cm reported from Boltshope Park (Durham), and over
Text Box: Scotland on the 10th, but by now a rapid thaw was.spreading northwards across the country, heavy rain was falling in southern districts, and Culdrose (Cornwall) collected 63mm of rain during the 8th/9th. Deep depressions and active troughs crossed the UK at frequent intervals between the 10th and 16th, delivering substantial amounts of rain to most parts of the country each day. Some 50mm fell at Rackwick (Orkney) in 48h on the 11th/12th, and also at Inveruglas (Dunbartonshire) on the 15th. Also on the 15th a gust of 66kn was registered at South Uist (Western Isles) - the highest of the month. It was generally very mild, however, and highs of 14°C were logged locally on both the 15th and 17th. There was a brief respite as a ridge of high pressure drifted eastwards across the country during the 17th and 18th, but Atlantic fronts crossed the country daily from the 19th onwards bringing further lengthy periods of rain, although there were good sunny spells on the 21st, 26th and 28th. The temperature approached or exceeded 14°C locally on the 26th and 27th with 14.6°C on the latter date at Newry (Co.Down), but prolonged orographic rain deposited 99mm on the 27th alone at Kinlochewe (Wester Ross). Much of the country had strong winds and squally showers on the 28th, with thunder and hail reported locally in southern districts. In spite of the wintry episode early on, mean monthly temperature was 1.5-2.0 degC above the long-term average, and it was generally the mildest February since 2002. Rainfall was above normally practically nationwide, and much of southern England had 2 to 2.5 times the normal amount of rain. After the exceptionally sunny opening week, sunshine was in very short supply, and monthly totals were close to or rather below the long-term average in most regions.
                                                                                                                                         
                       TEMPERATURE                                SUNSHINE                             RAINFALL        
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                 
                                          Highest and lowest totals                     Highest and lowest totals        
                                              on record for month    
Maximum fall in 24 hrs (beginning 09 h)
                    on record for month    
Days with snow or sleet
 
Days with fog (Vis <220 yards at 09 h)
 
                                                                                         
     
Difference from average
   
Difference from average
 
Highest maximum
   
Lowest minimum
   
No. of days with grass minimum below 0ºC
   
Days of no sunshine
 
Maximum duration
       
First year of record