Windrush Weather

February 2014 set a new record for the minimum number of dry days in a month with just one, which was the 2nd. The previous record of only two dry days in month was set in April 1998 and November 2009.
The total rainfall for February, with a few hours to go, is over 150mm which is almost 250% of the 30-year average.
The 28th was the coldest day for the complete month with the thermometer only reaching 4.7C.

There have been four days this past week with maximum temperatures some four degrees above the mean for February. On the 22nd there were 7.3 hours of bright sunshine, the greatest number since late September. Although the intense rainfall has receded there still has only been one totally dry day in February. Will the mild weather continue into March or will it bite back with late frosts as in March 2013 when we experienced 18 days with an air frost and a low of -6.6C on the 31st?

As reported in the media it has been the wettest winter since official records began in 1910. In Marlborough the total has reached 500.2mm, which surpasses the previous record of 434mm in 1989. Two years later, in 1991, we experienced three very dry winter months which produced the lowest ever rainfall of 94mm.

With a maximum of 11.0 C. on the 18th it was the warmest day in February and also the warmest night with a minimum of 6.2C due to the light southerly winds.
Still only one dry day this month which was the 2nd. Maximum days of precipitation were the 5th with 28.9mm and the 14th with 23.6mm.

A new thermometer was installed earlier this year to measure the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm, which might be of use and interest to gardeners and growers as the new sowing season approaches.