February 2002 - England and Wales

February 2002 was very mild, wet and windy especially in the North West. It was, however sunnier in the South East.

Diary of Highlights:

1st - 4th
A deep complex low pressure centred between Iceland and Scotland brought very unsettled, wet and windy weather. Bands of rain and showers, often heavy with occasional thunder swept across the region. The very mild temperatures, were offset by frequent gales especially around coasts, (a gust of 79 knots was recorded at Capel Curig / North Wales on the 1st).

5th - 13th
Depressions passing to the N & NW of the UK continued to bring very mild unsettled conditions with periods of rain and showers at times, as more Atlantic fronts traversed the Kingdom. Some of the showers had thunder mixed in, however the sun shone in between, with the SE benefiting the most. On the 10th very heavy rain affected NW areas with Capel Curig being deluged by 121mm of rain in 24 hours causing local flooding. The low pressure moved to Finland by the 12th, allowing pressure to rise over the UK.

14th - 18th
An anticyclone over the region provided a temporary respite from the wind and rain. Mainly quiet, dry, sunny weather prevailed but with overnight frost, the temperature falling to minus 6.2°C at Benson in Oxfordshire early on the 15th. During the 17th and 18th a weak cold front moved SE.

19th - 23rd
Wet and windy conditions soon returned as active lows moved east to Denmark during the 19th & 20th . By the 22nd / 23rd a deep depression over Scandinavia brought more strong winds and showers some of which were accompanied by hail and thunder. Strong winds affected the Vale of York on the 22nd with a gust of 67 knots at Leeds. It was very mild in the south at first, Folkestone in Kent reaching 15.1°C on the 22nd . Precipitation turned wintry in the N & NE later on the 23rd , with snow showers down to East Anglia.

21st - 24th
More unsettled as low-pressure systems passing close to Scotland heralded a wet and windy spell. It stayed very mild apart from a brief northerly incursion later on the 24th.

24th - 28th
Frequent snow showers over northern England left a wintry landscape by the morning of the 24th with 5 to 10 cm of snow on high ground. However the snow was soon washed away on the 25th as a vigorous low tracked eastwards across Scotland overnight the 25th / 26th . There were more gales and heavy rain in many areas especially the NW, the rain turned showery later with some hail and thunder mixed in. Gusts over 70 knots were frequent in north Wales, while eastern counties of England had gusts up to 65 knots. A residual trough over Scotland on the 27th migrated slowly southwards perpetuating the showery regime. A number of places had hail and thunder especially along the English Channel coast.

This has been the wettest February since 1990, and the dullest since 1997.

Statistical details

Central England Temperature (series began in 1659).	The mean value for the month was 7.0 C	3.2°C above the 1961-90 normal of 3.8°C and is in the very mild category. Others:-, 2001 4.4, 2000 6.3, 1999 5.3, 1998 7.3°C
England and Wales Rainfall (series began in 1766).	The total for the month was 114mm	175% of the 1961-90 average and is in the very wet category. Others:- 2001 103, 2000 95, 1999 49, 1998 20, 1990 144mm.
England and Wales Sunshine (series began in 1909).	The mean value for the month was 2.79 hours per day	122% of the 1961-90 average and is in the rather sunny category. Others:- 2001 3.17, 2000 3.35, 1999 2.98, 1998 3.30, 1997 2.48 hours per day.

The period 1961 to 1990 is the current World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) period for taking climate statistics.