February 2015 Climate Summary

...FEBRUARY 2015 MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY...

If February 2015 could be summarized in just one word, that word would be ‘cold’. In fact, the month was so abnormally cool that all four official sites reported an average temperature that was between 9 and 10 degrees below normal. The last two weeks of the month proved to be especially cool, and went down as the coolest second half of February on record for Memphis. February 2015 also made the top ten coolest months of February on record for all four official sites. In addition, February signaled the end of meteorological winter, which ended up being between 2 and 3 degrees cooler than normal at all sites. February had a significant impact on this, as all sites were around 1 degree above normal for the winter through the end of January. January is typically the coolest month of the year for all of the Mid-South, with February average temperatures around 4 degrees warmer than January, but in 2015 February temperatures were 4 to 5 degrees cooler than temperatures in January. You may recall this occurring on the opposite end of the year as well, with July coming in cooler than June during the summer.

Jonesboro was the coolest site and also had the greatest departure below normal at 31.7 degrees and 9.8 degrees, respectively. For the year 2015 so far, Jonesboro is also the coolest and has the greatest departure below normal at 34.1 degrees and 5.4 degrees, respectively. Jackson had an average temperature of 33.1 degrees for the month, which was 9.2 degrees cooler than normal, while currently 4.9 degrees cooler than normal for the year with an average temperature of 35.4 degrees. Memphis was 9.3 degrees cooler than normal for the month of February at 36.2 degrees, and is currently 4.8 degrees cooler than normal for the year at 38.6 degrees. Tupelo was the warmest site, with an average temperature of 36.9 degrees, a 9.0 degree departure below normal. Currently for the year Tupelo is 4.9 degrees cooler than normal at 38.9 degrees. Overall, Tupelo recorded the warmest temperature of February with 68.0 degrees, while Jackson recorded the coolest with only 6.0 degrees.

All sites were near normal in regard to precipitation during February. Jackson received the most precipitation at 5.15 inches, which created the only above normal precipitation total for the month at 0.98 inches above normal. Tupelo had the second greatest amount with 4.92 inches, which was just 0.04 inches below normal. Memphis picked up 4.35 inches of precipitation during the month, only a 0.04 inch departure below normal, while Jonesboro recorded the least amount of precipitation with 3.33 inches, a 0.39 inch departure below normal. So far for the year all sites except Tupelo are between 2 and 3 inches drier than normal, while Tupelo is just 0.28 inches below normal.

February brought a few rounds of wintry precipitation to the region, resulting in near normal snowfall totals for the month. Tupelo received the most snowfall this month, with 7.3 inches. This occurred on February 25^th, which became the second snowiest day on record at Tupelo, just behind the snowiest day on record, January 24, 1940, which had 8.0 inches.  All sites except Jackson finished the month with an above normal snowfall amount, with Jackson being only 0.2 inches below normal. All sites recorded at least 1 inch of snow depth this month, with Tupelo leading the [snow] pack at 7 inches.

The February climate data from the four official sites across the Mid-South are as follows:

TEMPERATURE DATA:

 Memphis    Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Average Temperature (MONTH)  :  36.2        33.1        31.7      36.9

Normal Avg. Temp (MONTH)     :  45.5        42.3        41.5      45.9

Departure from Normal (MONTH):  -9.3        -9.2        -9.8      -9.0

Average Temperature (YEAR)   :  38.6        35.4        34.1      38.9

Normal Avg. Temp (YEAR)      :  43.4        40.3        39.5      43.8

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :  -4.8        -4.9        -5.4      -4.9

Maximum Temperature          :  66.0        65.0        63.0      68.0

Minimum Temperature          :  13.0         6.0        10.0      13.0       

PRECIPITATION DATA:

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Total Precipitation (MONTH)  :   4.35       5.15        3.33      4.92

Normal Precipitation (MONTH) :   4.39       4.17        3.72      4.96

Departure from Normal (MONTH):  -0.04       0.98      -0.39     -0.04

Total Precipitation (YEAR)   :   5.65       5.89        4.83      9.16

Normal Precipitation (YEAR)  :   8.37       8.24        7.15      9.44

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :  -2.72     -2.35      -2.32     -0.28

Percent of Normal            :    68%        71%         68%      97%

Total Snowfall (MONTH)       :    2.3        1.4         1.5      7.3

Normal Snowfall (MONTH)      :    1.3        1.6        1.3      0.6

Departure from Normal (MONTH):    1.0       -0.2         0.2      6.7

Greatest Snow Depth (MONTH)  :      1          1           2         7

Notable Records:

Memphis

#7 Coolest February on Record (Coolest since 1978)

Jackson

#3 Coolest February on Record (Coolest since 1978)

Jonesboro

#3 Coolest February on Record (Coolest since 1978)

Tupelo

#1 Snowiest February on Record

#2 Snowiest Day on Record

#2 Coolest February on Record (Coolest since 1978)

#4 Snowiest Winter on Record (Snowiest since 1940)

Winter 2015 Review:

What began as a near to warmer than normal winter ended as a cooler than normal winter. Average temperatures this winter were between 2 and 3 degrees below normal at all sites, with Jonesboro having the greatest departure at 2.6 degrees below normal. Compared to last winter, we were warmer this winter by about 1 to 2 degrees at all official sites. Precipitation totals were below average at all sites, with Memphis nearly 6.00 inches of precipitation below normal, Jackson nearly 5.00 inches, and Jonesboro around 4.50 inches below normal. Tupelo received the most precipitation this winter and, as a result, was only 1.48 inches below normal. Overall, last winter was wetter than this winter, except at Tupelo, which was abnormally dry last winter. Tupelo was the only site with a winter snowfall total above normal, and that was 5.5 inches above normal, having received 7.3 inches of snow during the winter, all of which fell on February 25^th. Memphis was the second snowiest site with 2.3 inches, a 1.1 inch departure from normal. This winter saw more snow than last winter, except at Jonesboro, which had about 0.5 inches more last winter.

The winter 2015 climate data from the four official sites across the Mid-South are as follows:

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Winter Avg Temperature       :   41.1       38.1        36.9      41.5

Winter Normal                :   43.4       40.4        39.5      43.9

Departure from Normal        :   -2.3       -2.3        -2.6      -2.4                   

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

Winter Precipitation         :   8.25       8.97        7.62     14.24

Winter Normal                :  14.11     13.59      11.92     15.72

Departure from Normal        :  -5.86     -4.62      -4.30     -1.48

Winter Snowfall              :    2.3        1.4         1.5      7.3

Winter Normal                :    3.4        4.1         4.1      1.8

Departure from Normal        :   -1.1       -2.7        -2.6      5.5

Climate Outlook:

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) outlook for the month of March predicts slightly enhanced odds of below normal temperatures for portions of eastern Arkansas, extreme northwest Tennessee, and the Missouri boot heel. The prediction for the rest of the region is for equal chances of above, near, or below normal temperatures. For precipitation the CPC is predicting slightly enhanced odds of above normal precipitation for much of west Tennessee and north Mississippi, with an equal chance for above, near, or below normal totals for eastern Arkansas, extreme northwest Tennessee, and the Missouri boot heel. The current Drought Monitor continues to place portions of west Tennessee and eastern Arkansas in drought conditions; however, the Drought Outlook for March indicates these areas could be removed from being highlighted in drought over the next month. No significant impacts have been reported from the drought conditions.

MAYE