February’s warm dry weather was a marked turnaround from January and might well signal not only an early spring, but a warm dry summer.
February 1st started off with a 71-degree high and a 40-degree low, setting the stage for an exceptionally warm month. Frequent rains early on ended abruptly before mid-month.
By the numbers, February’s average high was just shy (65.8) of 66 at press time, which was 6.2 degrees warmer than Denton’s climatological February high of 59.6. February’s average low was 40.6, nearly 5 degrees warmer the average low of 35.9. As of February 25th, the day/night average temperature was running at 53.2, 5.5 degrees warmer than the February norm of 47.7. Real temperatures 5 and 6 degrees above normal are a big deal, even in February.
Rainfall was less impressive. Total rainfall for the month (as of 2/25) was 1.73” which was .33” below the norm of 2.06 inches. Added to January’s 2.43 inches, Denton Enterprise Airport has recorded just over 4 inches (4.16”) of rain in the first two months of the year, slightly, (+.36”) ahead of normal for this point in the year.
No severe weather was reported anywhere near Denton County during the month, but February can always produce severe weather if the conditions are right.
Looking ahead, the Climate Prediction Center continues to forecast an end to the El Niño of warmer-than-normal water temperatures in the Central Pacific, which will be a relief to millions of storm-weary residents along the West Coast. But the silver lining is several feet of extra snowfall in the Cascades and Central Rockies, as well as generous rainfall filling rivers and reservoirs west of the Continental Divide. Behind Hoover Dam, Lake Mead is 28 feet higher than it was a year ago. It’s still a long way (153’) away from full recovery after roughly 10 years of drought, but the summer snowmelt will make a big dent in that deficit.
As for North Texas, the Climate Prediction Center says March should be near normal in precipitation (3.11”), as well as temperature. The average high in March is around 68, while the average low is around 45 degrees. That said, the CPC predicted February temperatures would be “near normal,” too. With that in mind, and still no big Arctic outbreaks on the forecast maps, I would expect a continuation of warmer-than-normal temperatures during March. I don’t want to jinx things, but I believe “spring has done sprung.”
Brad Barton is Chief Meteorologist of WBAP 820/93.3 FM and 570 KLIF which originate Emergency weather warnings for North Texas.
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