February 2024 Climate Summaries
Mobile Alabama and Pensacola Florida Area
Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader (OPL)/Meteorologist
POC for Observation, Climate, and COOP
National Weather Service Mobile Alabama
March 4, 2024
February 2024 in Review - There were periods where Spring-like warmth visited the Gulf coast when gardeners would be tempted to get an early start at planting, followed by the passage of cold fronts to remind us we are still in the midst of the cold season. For Mobile, a couple notable warm spells occurred. The first being Feb 6th to the 12th where highs averaged 7.6° above normal. During this span of unseasonable warmth, a record high low temperature occurred on the 11th and was 2° higher than where the normal daily high should be. In fact, the average of low temperatures for the 9th to the 11th was 19° above normal. A series of cold frontal passages soon followed and sent morning low temperatures well below normal the middle of the month, 12.7° below normal on average the 18th - 20th. Then, as is typical for the Gulf Coast, a quick swing back to warmth. The second warm spell resulted in daily highs the 21st - 28th averaging 8.2° above normal. For the month of February as a whole, Mobile saw high, low and mean temperatures combined ranging 2 to 4° above normal.
For Pensacola, a notable warm spell mostly in the low temperatures also occurred on the 9th to the 11th with the average of low temperatures during the period at 15.3° above normal. After the series of a mid month set of frontal passages, lows trended much lower with the colder period morning lows the 18th - 20th averaging 12.3° below normal. Following, temperatures moderated to mostly well above normal in high temperatures the 22nd - 28th at 7° above normal on average. Pensacola's monthly temperatures evened out overall, at less than 1° off the pace in the means. No record temperatures were reached.
Following a promising January when rainfall was in a surplus, rainfall gauge catch in February was the exact opposite and underwhelming, falling well short of the monthly normal at both Mobile and Pensacola.
Mobile Alabama Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1872 to Present]- The average monthly high of 69.4° was 3.8° above normal. The average monthly low was 53.4° or 1.6° above normal. The average monthly temperature of 57.7° was 2.7° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 82°, occurred on the 28th and 13° above normal for the date. One record was reached and that was a muggy 67° on the morning of the 11th, breaking the previous record of 66° set on this date back in 1965. The lowest temperature for the month dipped to 29° on the morning of the 19th, 16° below normal for the date. (Fig. A) shows a graphical representation of how the Mobile area temperatures compared to the seasonal normal daily highs and lows, which are shown by the colored dashed lines. Bar graphs reflecting the daily high/low temperature departures from normal are provided in the table below (Figs. B and C). The rain gauge collected 2.01" (Fig. D), or 2.46" below normal. Accumulated rainfall climatology to close out February was nearly right on top of the normal at the close of the month. (Fig. E).
February Top Records for the Month During the Period of Record for the Mobile Area:
Click on the Mobile Alabama area climate graphics below to expand:
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Pensacola Florida Area [Climate Normal Period 1991-2020, Climate Record Period 1879 to Present] - The average monthly high of 67.3° was 0.9° above normal. The average monthly low was 47.8° or 0.6° above normal. The average monthly temperature of 57.5° was 0.7° above normal. The highest temperature for the month, 82°, occurred on the 28th and 13° above normal for the date. The lowest temperature for the month dipped to 35° on the mornings of the 19th and 20th, 13° below normal for these dates. (Fig. F) shows a graphical representation of how the Pensacola area temperatures compared to the seasonal normal daily highs and lows, which are shown by the colored dashed lines. (Figs. G and H) shows the daily high/low temperature departures from normal. The rain gauge captured only 1.37" for the month (Fig. I), 3.40" below the monthly normal. Accumulated rainfall climatology indicates a deficit for Pensacola by a little over two inches at 2.14" below normal (Fig. J).
February Top Records for the Month During the Period of Record for the Pensacola Area:
Click on the Pensacola Florida area climate graphics below to expand:
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Additional February 2024 Climatology and Topics
An unusual ring of higher monthly precipitation was observed over the far western, northern and eastern portions of the local area with a minimum over the I-65 corridor. After much of the central Gulf Coast received a substantial surplus in rainfall for January, February 2024 rainfall was the opposite, returning 25 to 75% of normal amounts. Worse off was some isolated locations only seeing 10 to 25% of normal February rainfall. (Fig. K) shows the areal monthly rainfall total, (Fig. L) shows the areal rainfall departures from normal and (Fig. M), the areal percent of normal rainfall. The latest February 2024 monthly summary for Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) - KVPS and Duke Field - KEGI has been received and provided in the table below. The temperatures in the daily tables consists of numbers both in °F/°C. Data courtesy of Mr. David Biggar, Staff Meteorologist, 96th Weather Squadron. Provided by permission.
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March 2024 Climatology, Seasonal Climatology and Outlooks:
Entering spring, the latest outlook for March favors temperatures to be leaning above normal over the deep south and southeast U.S. while precipitation leans just into likely above normal favorability. It's important to note that we can still see strong cold frontal passages bringing colder weather and freezing temperatures during the month of March and into April, which would require protection to sensitive young garden vegetable seedlings. Drought development is not expected for March. Information on current drought trends and outlooks is provided below.
Click on the snap shots below to expand:
 March Normals |
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Additional Climate Links:
The National Weather Service Mobile Alabama's Climate and Past Weather page provides climate data at your fingertips for many observation points in the local forecast area by accessing the NOWData tab as well as many other climate resources. The Climate Prediction Center Link provides short and longer range climatic outlooks and education about the larger scale global circulations that impact temperatures and weather. With the large agriculture and farming presence along the central Gulf coast, the Drought Monitor link provides updates on drought trends and impacts. Another very helpful resource is the Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow (CoCoRaHS) network, which is a large group of volunteers working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail, and snow). The aim of CoCoRaHS is to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications. You can be a part of the CoCoRaHS team by becoming a volunteer rainfall observer.
Questions or Comments:
Contact: Joe Maniscalco - Observation Program Leader WFO Mobile, AL at joe.maniscalco@noaa.gov
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