February 2016 Mid-South Climate Summary

...FEBRUARY 2016 MID-SOUTH CLIMATE SUMMARY...

February was warmer and generally drier than normal around the Mid-South, while Winter 2015/2016 was much warmer and drier than normal.

 

 

 

Average temperatures at the four climate sites during February ranged from 1.6 to 2.6 degrees above normal, with Memphis the warmest site and Jonesboro the coolest site. Memphis had the 2.6 degree departure from normal for the month with its average temperature of 48.1 degrees. Memphis recorded the warmest temperature of all four climate sites early in the month with 75.0 degrees. For the year to date Memphis is up 1.3 degrees above normal. Tupelo had a February average temperature of 47.8 degrees, 1.9 degrees warmer than normal, while currently 0.5 degrees warmer for 2016. Jackson recorded 43.9 degrees this month, 1.6 degrees warmer than normal, while currently just 0.5 degrees above normal for the year to date. Jackson and Tupelo both recorded the coolest temperature of all four sites with 20.0 degrees on the 10^th. The average temperature at Jonesboro during February was 43.4 degrees, 1.9 degrees above normal. Jonesboro is currently 0.8 degrees above normal for 2016 to date.

 

 

 

Memphis was the wettest site during February and the only site that was wetter than normal. Memphis picked up 5.58 inches of rain during the month, a 1.19 inch departure greater than normal. However, for the year to date Memphis is still 0.52 inches down, having received only 94 percent of its normal year to date precipitation. Jackson received 3.58 inches of precipitation during February, only a trace of which was snow. This was 0.59 inches below the monthly normal, while Jackson is also 2.62 inches of precipitation below normal for the year. Tupelo was 1.63 inches of precipitation drier than normal this month, receiving only 3.33 inches of rain. For the year to date Tupelo is 2.27 inches drier than normal, having received only 76 percent of its normal year to date precipitation. Finally, Jonesboro received only 2.13 inches of precipitation in February, a 1.59 inch departure drier than normal. Jonesboro has only received 55 percent of its normal year to date precipitation, with the site currently down 3.22 inches for the year. Like Jackson, Jonesboro received only a trace of snow this month. This was the most snow received at any of the four official climate sites.

 

 

 

The climate data for February are as follows:

 

 

 

TEMPERATURE DATA:

 

                               Memphis    Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

 

Average Temperature (MONTH)  :   48.1       43.9      43.4      47.8

 

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

 

Departure from Normal (MONTH):    2.6        1.6        1.9       1.9

 

Average Temperature (YEAR)   :   44.6       40.7      40.3      44.3

 

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

 

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :    1.3        0.5        0.8       0.5

 

                       

 

Maximum Temperature          :   75.0       72.0      74.0      73.0

 

Minimum Temperature          :   24.0       20.0      21.0      20.0  

 

 

 

PRECIPITATION DATA:

 

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

 

Total Precipitation (MONTH)  :   5.58       3.58      2.13      3.33

 

Normal Precipitation (MONTH) :   4.39       4.17      3.72      4.96

 

Departure from Normal (MONTH):   1.19     -0.59      -1.59     -1.63

 

Total Precipitation (YEAR)   :   7.85       5.62      3.93      7.17

 

Normal Precipitation (YEAR)  :   8.37      8.24      7.15      9.44

 

Departure from Normal (YEAR) :  -0.52     -2.62      -3.22     -2.27

 

Percent of Normal            :    94%        68%        55%       76%

 

 

 

SNOWFALL DATA:

 

                                Memphis   Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

 

Total Snowfall (MONTH)       :    0.0          T          T       0.0

 

Normal Snowfall (MONTH)      :    1.3        1.6        1.3       0.6

 

Departure from Normal (MONTH):   -1.3       -1.6      -1.3      -0.6

 

Greatest Snow Depth (MONTH)  :      0          0          0         0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter 2015/2016 Review:

 

 

 

The end of February also concluded meteorological winter, which extends from December to February. The Mid-South experienced a mild winter, with average temperatures around 4 degrees warmer than normal. In addition, it was a drier than normal winter with all four climate sites recording at least 1.00 inch precipitation deficits, despite a wet December. Further, hardly any significant snowfall was recorded, with all sites down nearly their entire normal snowfall for the winter. The one exception to this would be Jackson, which did report 1.5 inches of snowfall during the winter, but still finished the season 2.6 inches below normal.

 

 

 

Memphis was the warmest site this winter by its average temperature of 47.8 degrees, and also had the greatest departure above normal at 4.4 degrees. Both Memphis and Tupelo placed in the top 10 warmest winters on record at each of those sites this season. Jonesboro was the coolest site with an average temperature of 43.1 degrees, 3.6 degrees above normal. Tupelo received the most precipitation this winter with 14.53 inches, but was still 1.19 inches below normal for the season. Jonesboro was the driest site, receiving only 10.30 inches of precipitation, which was 1.63 inches below normal. Jackson had the greatest departure below normal, having received just 10.77 inches of precipitation, 2.82 inches drier than normal.

 

 

 

 

 

TEMPERATURE DATA:

 

                                  Memphis  Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

 

Winter Avg Temperature       :      47.8     44.0     43.1       47.5

 

Winter Normal                :      43.4     40.4     39.5       43.9

 

Departure from Normal        :       4.4      3.6       3.6        3.6 

 

                             

 

PRECIPITATION DATA:

 

                                  Memphis  Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

 

Winter Precipitation         :     12.62    10.77     10.30      14.53

 

Winter Normal                :     14.11    13.59     11.92      15.72

 

Departure from Normal        :     -1.49    -2.82     -1.62      -1.19

 

 

 

SNOWFALL DATA:

 

                                  Memphis  Jackson   Jonesboro   Tupelo

 

Winter Snowfall              :       0.3      1.5        0.3          T

 

Winter Normal                :       3.4      4.1        4.1        1.8

 

Departure from Normal        :      -3.1     -2.6       -3.8      -1.8

 

 

 

 

 

Notables:

 

#6 Warmest Winter on Record at Tupelo at 47.5 degrees

 

#7 Warmest Winter on Record at Memphis at 47.8 degrees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climate Outlook:

 

Departing a mild winter we now look forward to meteorological spring, which extends from March to May. With a strong El Niño transitioning to more neutral conditions by this summer our local climate will likely feel the impacts, as it typically does during these transitional periods.

 

The one month outlook by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) for the month of March depicts enhanced odds for above normal temperatures with equal chances of above, near, or below normal precipitation totals. Taking a closer look, the 6-10 and 8-14 day outlooks that encompass the first couple of weeks of March depict above normal precipitation and temperatures. The three month outlook for March, April, and May combined currently has equal chances of above, near, or below normal temperatures with mostly equal chances of above, near, or below normal precipitation, save for the areas of west Tennessee nearest the Tennessee River which have enhanced odds of below normal precipitation totals this spring. Our office has closely monitored the upcoming spring and, based upon previous years where we were transitioning from a strong El Niño to more neutral conditions by summer, April was always much wetter than normal.

 

MAYE