Mild and Dry

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature during February 2019 in Shoreham was 9.9 Celsius (50F), and that was around 2.5 degree Celsius (4.5F) above normal for the time of year. The average minimum temperature was 4.0 Celsius (39F), and that was  close to 1  degree Celsius (2F) above the February normal. It was the mildest February for 5 years.   

The highest temperature recorded during the month was 15.2 Celsius (59F) on the 26th, with the 25th only 0.1 Celsius (0.2F) less mild. Although much lower than the record-breaking temperatures that occurred in the London area, they were, nevertheless, exceptional for the south coast, and probably haven’t occurred in the area for at least 50 years. The temperature also rose above 12 Celsius (54F) on both the 24th and 27th. There were a further 9 days when the temperature exceeded 10 Celsius (50F),  but with only 4 of these milder days occurring before mid month. During the period between the 6th and the end of the month, only the 10th, with a high of 8.3 Celsius (47F), had a maximum temperature below 9 Celsius (48F). The first 5 days of February, however, were somewhat colder. The 3rd had a high of 6.6 Celsius (44F), but the 1st and 2nd had highs of 4.1 Celsius (39F) and 4.8 Celsius (41F) respectively.

There were no particularly mild nights during February, but on 5 occasions the temperature stayed above 7 Celsius (45F), including 4 consecutive nights commencing on the 6th. On many nights (14) the temperature fell to between 1 and 5 Celsius (34-41F), with only 3 nights having minima below 1 Celsius (34F). The coldest night was the 2nd/3rd with a minimum temperature of minus 2.7 Celsius (27F). 

The sea temperature was 7 Celsius (45F) at the beginning of February, but for most of the month it was close to 8 Celsius (46F).

Frost

There was just 1 air frost during February, and that’s 5 below average. However, there were 16 grass frosts. with the average grass temperature of minus 0.1 Celsius (32F). There was grass frost on the first 3 nights of the month, and on the 3rd a grass minimum of minus 7.8 Celsius (18F) occurred. A frost-free week followed before grass frosts returned on the 11th. A week of grass frosts included minima of minus 3.9 Celsius (25F) on both the 14th and 15th. The 18th was frost-free but the 19th also had a low of minus 3.9 Celsius (25F). A short spell without frost ended on the 24th and the last 5 nights of the month had grass frosts, with the 25th having a grass low of minus 5 Celsius (23F).   

Rain

There were  46.8  millimetres (1.8 ins.) of rain during February and that was only just over half the monthly average. There were 18 days of measurable rain, and that was around 2 days above normal for February. Apart from the 2nd, rainfall was measured on each of the first 10 days of February. Totals included 7 millimetres (0.3 ins.) on the 3rd, almost 5 millimetres (0.2 ins.) on both the 4th and 5th, 6 millimetres (0.25 ins.) on the 6th, and 9 millimetres (0.35 ins.) on the 9th, the wettest day of the month. No rain fell between the 11th and 16th, however, the nights were very moist and unusually, a combination of frost and dew produced a total ‘rainfall’ of 1.2 millimetres (0.05 ins.). Only 5 more days of measurable rain occurred after the 16th, and the total was a mere 5.8 millimetres (0.25 ins.) with 4.4 millimetres (0.17 ins.) attributable to the last day of the month.

Hail

There was no hail observed in this part of Shoreham during  February.

Thunder

There was no thunder heard in this part of Shoreham during February.

Snow

There were 2 days with snow or sleet falling  in Shoreham during February. There was snow in  the early hours of the 1st and by morning there were 2 centimetres (1 in.) of lying snow. This thawed during the day, but rain turned to sleet during the evening and lasted until the early hours of the 2nd.   

Wind

Pressure was higher than normal during February, but anticyclones were either over, or to the southeast of,  the country, and that resulted in winds either light and variable in direction, or blowing from the southwest . The strongest winds mainly occurred during the first half of the month, and at Shoreham Airport gusts reached 34 knots (38 mph) early on the 4th, with 42 knots (48 mph) occurring early on the 7th.  On the 8th, gusts of 40 to 45 knots (46-51 mph) were observed in the afternoon and early evening, with 41 knots (47 mph) occurring on the following morning.  There was a gust of 37 knots (42 mph) late on the afternoon of the 10th., and this proved to be the last significant gust of the month.     

Fog

There was fog observed on the mornings of both the 6th and 22nd.

Statistics for February 2019