Weather log February 2024
Key:
Very mild start to February:
Sat 3rd above 10c during the night in parts, minima Coleshill 10.5c, Coventry 10.4c, MH 10.2c, Lwn 9.8c.Very mild Mids especially, maxima Pershore College 15.9c warmest in UK; other Pershore 15.5c, Coventry 14.3c, CC 11.7c, Lwn 11.2c, Mumbles 9.6c.
Sun 4th another night that remained above 10c in places, min MH 10.2c, Pershore 9.9c, Coleshill & Lwn 9.8c, Coventry 9.7c, Pembrey Sands & Trawsgoed 9.6c, CC 7.7c, Nottingham 5.8c. Maxima widely 11 to 14c, Pershore again warmest in UK max 14.9c (Coventry & Shobdon 13.2c, Lwn 12.6c, Nottingham 12.2c, Mumbles 10.0c.
Tue 6th wet day, an inch or more parts of WW and widely half inch Mids. CC 45.4mm wettest in UK, Lwn 28.3mm (to 0900 7th) most of this in 6 hours afternoon, Coventry 14.6mm.
Thu 8th a briefly colder interlude (never really below average for S Wales & S Mids). Snow affected parts of N Mids and N Wales, with moderate falls Peak District (up to 6 inches). Much of Mids and N Wales cold by day, became mild mid & S Wales, maxima (by day) MH 11.3c, Lwn & ROW 9.9c, Coventry 4.3c. Very wet Midlands, widely over an inch resulting in flooding; 0900 totals Coventry 28.0mm, Lwn 8.7mm; 0600 totals Nottingham 28.0mm, Pershore 26.0mm, Mumbles 25.8mm, Coleshill 25.2mm, Hereford 24.8mm, CL 23.8mm, Aberdaron 19.6mm.
Fri 9th rest of Mids and N Wales turned mild overnight (Coventry rising from 4.3c yesterday evening to 9c overnight).
Very mild indeed around mid month:
Wed 14th Many places stayed above 10c overnight, Trawsgoed min 10.7c, Coventry 10.3c, Aberporth & Lwn 10.0c. Rain or drizzle for WW, some bright intervals Mids. Maxima Hereford 16.6c (warmest in UK), Shawbury 15.2c, CL 15.1c, Nottingham 14.0c, Trawsgoed 13.7c, Aberporth 12.0c, Lwn 11.5c, Aberdaron, CC & Mumbles 10.4c, Porthmadog 10.2c.
Thu 15th exceptionally mild many areas: Widely above 10c overnight, here at Lwn it dipped to 10.1c early evening but then was above 11.2c from 2100 and so beating the record mild February night (10.9c in 2021). Other lows Nottingham, Pershore & Shawbury c 12c, Coventry 11.5c, Trawsgoed c 11c, most of Wales was around 10c overnight. Exceptionally mild by day in places, Pershore College max 18.1c (equal warmest in UK); other max Pershore (Throckmorton) 17.3c, CL & Nottingham 16.6c, Shawbury 15.8c, Trawsgoed 15.5c, Lwn 13.8c (at 0900), CC 13.1c, Aberdaron 11.2c. Some rain or drizzle for WW where cloudy, some sun parts of Mids.
Note it turned out to be the mildest February day or indeed of any Winter day in the 350 year CET record! Mean temperature 13.7c (average of max/mins from selected stations across the region) beating the former (Feb 2004) record by almost 1c. This mean temperature on average would not occur until early June.
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| Exceptional maxima Feb 15th 2024 |
First half of February very mild and dull; Rainfall-wise all Mids and parts of SW Wales already achieved February averages, with Pershore already close to twice the average; most places wet, just parts of NW Wales nearer average.
Rainfall 1st to 15th Feb 0900:
Mona 35mm (rather wet)
CC 138mm (average)
Aberdaron 55mm (very wet)
Trawsgoed 75mm (very wet)
Aberporth c 65mm (very wet)
Llanwnnen 83.8mm (wet)
MH 68mm (very wet)
Mumbles 89mm (very wet)
Nottingham 55mm (very wet)
Coleshill c 56mm (very wet)
Coventry 68.0mm (very wet)
CL 60.2mm (very wet)
Pershore 64mm (near twice whole Feb average)
Hereford 51mm (very wet)
1st Feb to 14th Feb sunshine:
Aberdaron 27 hrs (very dull)
Llanwnnen 17.0 hours (very dull)
Nottingham 17 hrs (very dull)
Coventry 30.2 hours (rather dull)
Shobdon 20 hrs (very dull)
Sat 17th so mild more like April of late so hardly needed any heating at all and saving oil this Winter. Porthmadog 28.6mm was wettest in UK, widely an inch or 2 for the weekend for WW and half to 1 inch Mids. This caused yet another bout of flooding.
Thu 22nd heavy rainfall over just a few hours today brought yet more widespread flooding to Mids in particular, an inch of rain in places; Gogerddan 26.6mm wettest in UK; Market Bosworth 19.0c = wettest in Mids (24 hours to 2100). This cold front saw an end to the very mild spell with maxima nearer average at 5 to 9c.
Some frosty nights towards the end of Winter 2023/24 as form of redress:
Sat 24th widespread frost, minima Shawbury -4.4c, Lwn -2.5c, Coventry -2.3c.
Mon 26th WW nice sunny day for a change, Lwn est 8 hours, Valley 7.7c; Mids sunny intervals and isolated showers; max near average at 7 to 9c.
Tue 27th minima Lwn -3.7c (coldest night of the month), Pershore & Swyddffynnon -3.3c, Market Bosworth -2.1c.
Nature notes
Thu 1st first Daffodil in bloom Uni also an Egret seen by river, lots of Snowdrops.
Wed 7th A few Song Thrushes and Blackbirds in song Aberystwyth towards dusk.
Rooks nest building from early month at Uni.
Grass has been growing during this (so far) very mild month.
Mid month first Daffs coming out across the road (fortnight early).
Lots of daisies on the Uni lawns all month.
Some days strong Mistle Thrush song, starting to get Blackbird/ Song Thrush dawn/ dusk choruses. Tits calling daily loudly.
Thu 15th 100 Ants in the hallway which is most surprising for two reasons, firstly it is still Winter and secondly that we have hardly seen more than a couple of Ants inside the house in 18 years! Experimenting with white vinegar and pepper barriers as deterrents as I find it hard to kill anything. Down to just an Ant or 2 by 17th.
Lawns lush and boggy mid month, were it to dry out they could use an early Season mow.
Quite a few Daffs out around the area mid month, some Snowdrops already going over.
Many buds starting to open (into leaf/ flower) along the garden hedgerows, Hazels have had impressive Catkins since last month.
Mon 19th Aberaeron much blooming and leafing underway inc Camellias fully out. Magnolia about to open up, Hydrangeas in leaf. By the river possible Chiffchaff, firstly a single note then a little later 2 notes but did not go into song and so not definite? Never heard one in Feb before, mid March is the earliest, although one was heard in January in the county. Song Thrushes singing well dusk.
Wed 21st 1000+ mainly Fieldfare hillside adjacent lane besides southern forestry (Llanybydder). Several Song Thrush in song dusk, and a Blackbird.
Thu 22nd Lampeter quite a few Song Thrush in song towards sunset and a few Blackbird. Some blossom out (not sure if cherry or plum).
Mon 26th 10,000 estimated Starlings murmuration at Aberystwyth this sunset (lovely sunny day for a change).
Late Feb Aberystwyth retail park by Charlies: near dusk about 30 Pied Wagtails occupying one or 2 of the trees (roosting).
Month end Bluebells never so advanced so early (usually just poking up during Feb but this year verdant long spikes that seem not far off producing flowers. Snowdrops mainly lasting still, Daffs blooming all over.
February 2024 summary
Exceptionally mild, very wet and dull.
CET 7.8c the second mildest February in 350 years record (1779 just surviving as mildest at 7.9c). Mildest Feb srb 1884 for Wales. Here at Lwn mean temp 7.2c the mildest here (ahead of 6.9c 2011).
February behaving like the start of Spring more often than not over the past decade (few frosts, birds active and in song, grass and other growth underway, buds and leaves opening.
A very wet month for most (only parts of N Wales average), much of the Mids and locally WW around 3 times average and quite widely WW twice average.
Coventry has had over 1000mm rainfall in the 12 months March 2023 to Feb 2024 and so one of the wettest periods in the 150 year rainfall history for the city.
England & Wales has averaged above average rainfall each month July 2023 to Feb 2024, the last time this happened being July 1960 to Feb 1961. Llanwnnen has had over 100mm each of the past 8 months (again July 2023 to Feb 2024), there has not been such a run in the 20 year record hereabouts.
Rainfall totals Feb 2024
Capel Curig, Snowdonia c 310mm (wet)
Valley, Anglesey c 90mm (very wet)
Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular c 140mm (over 200%)
Trawsgoed, Ceredigion c 175mm (200%)
Aberporth, near Llangrannog c 140mm (over 200%)
Llanwnnen 189.2mm (185% historical Lampeter and 155% 2006 -24 here).
Milford Haven, Pembs c 180mm (over 200%)
Mumbles, near Swansea c 200mm (300%)
Nottingham c 115mm (over 200%)
Shawbury, Salop c 70mm (very wet)
Coleshill c 125mm (over 250%)
Coventry, Bablake School 134.8mm (305%)
CL, Warks 123.6mm (308%)
Pershore, Worc c 120mm (over 300%)
Hereford c 95mm (200%)
National Resources Wales (NRW) rain gauges Feb 2024
Llyn Cefni, Ynys Mon 111.8mm (very wet)
Bethesda Quarry (Gwynedd) 167.8mm (average)
Cwm Dyli (Snowdonia) 415.0mm (very wet)
Corris (near Machynlleth) 355.8mm (200%)
Bow Street (near Aberystwyth) 184.6mm (300%)
Pontrhydfendigaid (near Tregaron, Ceredigion) 192.6mm (very wet)
Rhos Ymryson (near Gorscoch and 5 miles NW of Lwn) 195.8mm (very wet)
Cellan (2 miles NE of Lampeter) 141.2mm (wet)
Pencader (Carms) 219.6mm (very wet)
Abergorllech (Brechfa Forest, Carms) 251.6mm (200%)
Rhydargaeau (Carms) 255.2mm (200%)
Garnswllt (near Ammanford, Carms) 272.6mm (over 250%)
Felinfoel (near Llanelli, Carms) 226.4mm (over 200%)
Ferwig (near Cardigan) 106.4mm (wet)
Maenclochog (near Preselis, Pembs) 286.2mm (over 200%)
Tenby (Pembs) 197.2mm (over 200%)
Bolton Hill (near Haverfordwest, Pembs) 181.8mm (200%)
COL stations rainfall
Llansadwrn 134.3mm (148%)
Ludlow, Salop 113.0mm (189%)
Alvechurch, Worc 158.9mm (297%)
Warstock, Brum 130.2mm (241%)
Cosby, Leic 131.2mm (287%)
Towcester, Northants 126.2mm (252%)
Sunshine totals Feb 2024
Valley 63.4 hours
Aberdaron 63.1 hrs
Aberporth 46.3 hours
Llanwnnen (estimated) 38 hours (58%)
Nottingham 49.5 hrs
Shawbury 40.7 hrs
Coventry, Bablake School 65.4 hrs (78%)
Shobdon, Herefordshire 40.4 hrs
COL stations sun Feb 2024:
Ludlow 55.0 hrs
Alvechurch 52.1 hrs
Cosby 62.9 hrs
Towcester 64.5 hrs
Winter 2023/24
Very mild and very wet; sunshine average to dull
One of the mildest Winters.
Much of Midlands over twice the average rainfall for the Winter (above 300mm many places); Coventry had its wettest Winter on record (beating 327mm 1976/77)
No snow lay at all here at Lwn, and few places saw more than a day or 2.
Rainfall totals Winter 2023/24
Trawsgoed c 528mm (very wet)
Llanwnnen 555.6mm (142% of the historical Lampeter average but only 120% Llanwnnen 2006-24 showing that Winters have become substantially wetter this century.
MH c 511mm (very wet)
Mumbles c 492mm (very wet)
Shawbury, Salop c 235mm (wet)
Nottingham c 330mm (very wet)
Coventry 339.0mm (205%)
CL 301.5mm (197%)
Pershore c 284mm (200%)
Sunshine totals Winter 2023/24
Coventry 180.5 hrs (86%)
Llanwnnen (estimated) 124 hours (85%) = dullest since estimations began 2013.
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