Wick’s February was a tale of two halves

WICK’S weather statistics for February 2013 portrayed an unremarkable picture for the late winter period. It was drier than normal while, in terms of aggregate, temperatures were slightly below average.

Changeable and at times disturbed weather – wet days coupled with frequent strong to gale-force winds associated with depressions fuelled by the Atlantic and driven from west to east by the polar front jet stream that was strong with a straight and narrow “zonal” configuration – moulded the personality of the first two weeks of February.

High pressure became increasingly dominant after the 14th. Initially located over Scandinavia, this large “blocking” anticyclone gradually migrated towards the British Isles bringing with it quiet, settled conditions with fine sunny days but under the clear skies also a number of cold nights.

The period between the 15th and 28th inclusive was virtually rain free. The precipitation total during this prolonged anticyclonic spell was a near negligible 2.2mm (0.09 of an inch) and in order to put this into perspective this amount represented just 4.3 per cent of the rainfall total for the entire month.

Wick’s mean air temperature was 3.5C (38.3F), down 0.25C on the recently updated corresponding long-term average for the town for the climatic period 1981-2010 inclusive. Interestingly, the long-term mean air temperature for the series of Februaries between 1971 and 2000 was 3.5C – indicating a warming trend for the last official month of winter in recent decades.

Analysis of the figures for mean air temperature for February showed that in the period beginning from 1981 there have been 21 with a mean that was higher than for 2013 with the remaining 11 in the series having a lower number for mean temperature.

Since records began for Wick in 1914 the mean air temperature was higher in 54 of the corresponding series of Februaries and lower in 44 of them. The mean was equal in 1935.

Wick’s average maximum air temperature for February was 6.03C (42.85F), 0.37C lower than the long-term average for the period 1981-2010. Between 1981 and 2013 the average maximum air temperature for the burgh was lower than that for February 2013 in just 10 of the corresponding Februaries. The other 22 in the series had higher values for this parameter than did last month.

Since records began there have been 54 in the corresponding series of Februaries that have had a higher average maximum air temperature than for February 2013. Forty-two Februaries had lower values and three had the same number as last month.

The long-term average maximum air temperature for the climatic period 1971-2000 was 6C (42.8F), slightly lower than the updated long-term average based on the daytime maximum air values for the series of Februaries between 1981-2010.

The town’s highest maximum daytime air temperature was a seasonally mild 9.5C but nevertheless unexceptional (49.1F) recorded in the mostly cloudy to overcast force three to five west-north-west winds that had fetched some relatively warm air from off the central regions of the North Atlantic that subsequently fed around the anticyclone now positioned just to the west of Ireland to affect the far north during the afternoon of the 28th. Incidentally, this century so far, in addition to February 2013, the corresponding Februaries of 2003, 2005 and 2010 have been the only ones in the series that have not witnessed a mild 10C (50F).

Lowest daytime air maximum occurred on the stormy and wintry 13th when in sleet and wet snow driven on by boisterous force 7 SSE winds that gusted up to force 9 at times the mercury peaked at a raw and penetrating 3.1C (37.6F).

Wick’s average minimum overnight temperature was 0.96C (33.73F). The long-term average value for the corresponding series of Februaries between 1981 and 2010 is 1.1C (33.98F). In relation to long-term trends the average minimum overnight figure between 1971-2000 was a virtually identical 1C (33.8F).

In the period commencing 1981 the number of Februaries in the series that have experienced an average overnight minimum air temperature that was lower than for February 2013 was 11. The average overnight minimum was higher for the other 21 Februaries reviewed during the same period.

Since records began the average overnight minimum was lower in 40 and higher in 59 of the entire series.

The royal burgh’s highest overnight minimum air temperature was a mild 6.2C (43.2F) recorded on the 17th.

February 2013 hosted nine air frosts. The lowest overnight minimum air temperature was minus 3.3C (26.1F) witnessed on the 27th.

Wick hosted 20 ground frosts last month. The lowest temperature recorded at 5cm above the grass was minus 8C (17.6F) recorded on the 9th, 22nd and 27th respectively.

Measurable precipitation was logged on 21 dates. By the end of the month the amounts that had collected in the rain gauge had accrued to 51.1mm or 80.2 per cent of the long-term average for February for the period 1981-2010.

February 2013 could aptly be described as a tale of two halves in relation to rainfall. The first two weeks were particularly wet with no dry days and a precipitation total of 48.9mm up to and including the 14th. By contrast, between the 15th and the 28th inclusive there were seven days when no rainfall was noted and what did fall on the town had added up to a mere 2.2mm by the end of the 28th. The outstanding dryness is emphasised compellingly by the fact the highest amount of precipitation that was recorded on a single day between the 15th and 28th was just 0.8mm (0.03 of an inch) on the 19th.

Wettest day of the month was easily the 13th when a very active Atlantic frontal system that had moved across Scotland during the day deposited 18mm (0.71 of an inch) in the form of wet snow on the town.

Light snow was visible over the grass at dawn on the 2nd.

Since 1981 there have been 21 Februaries that were drier and 11 that were wetter in Wick.

Perusal of Wick’s historic rainfall records for February since records began revealed that 57 in the corresponding series were wetter while 42 were drier.

There were eight days when wind velocities reached or surpassed gale force eight (33.9 knots/39 mph). Wick’s windiest day was the 4th when at 3.30pm a severe gale force nine west-south-westerly wind pummelling the town gusted up to 62mph/53.9 knots and storm force 10 on the Beaufort scale.

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