February 2010 was the coldest February since Feb 1991. It also concluded the coldest Winter since 1979 albeit without the Snow fall that 79 had It also proved that with the right synoptics the UK can still have a very cold winters.. Once gain February wasn’t a stormy month keeping the quiet run of winters continuing. Winds only got to 40 mph once at that was on the 27th. The highest average was 15 mph on the 1st. The main feature of the month was the domination of Northerly based airflow’s with very little in the way of South Westerly influence. This was due to majority of Low pressures being kept to the south as the jet stream battered Spain. It was a cold month the third on the trot which in recent years is unheard off. Day time temperatures reached average values only on 6 days and only one day above average and that was 7.8C on the 5th. Nigh time temperatures were below average for the majority of the month with only one night coming in above average at 3.3C on the 26th. The coldest night was on the 17th with -3.9C being recorded. It was the 2nd month in a row where nigh time temperatures averaged below zero. The last time that happened was in 1991. The winter itself came in 1.9C the coldest since 1979 which came in at 1.0C. Only four days failed to record a ground frost while 18 air frosts occurred. The sharpest frost came on the 18th with -8.1C being recorded. Cold Months don’t always mean a lot of Snowfall and despite there being above average rainfall lying Snow was a rare event. Snow was lying on the 4th but rapidly thawed as milder air pushed in. It wasn’t until the 21st that the only heavy fall of snow happened with over 10 cm falling. Despite reports of a rapid thaw in the region the snow laid for four days until less cold air on the 24th produced a rapid thaw. Despite cooler air returning there wasn’t any more snowfall. The heaviest rainfall fell on the 25th with 12.3 mm falling otherwise rainfall amounts were small for the month. March is going to start cold with rain at times and Snow possible for High ground. Later building High pressure will introduce a very cold easterly with Snow showers coming off the North sea. Indications show the High slowly sinking South east to allow a brief milder spell mid month before another easterly develops. This could well last a fair while with only milder unsettled conditions return at the very end of the month. At the moment I favouring a below average month temperature wise and a rather dry one. | 
