The very mild Februaries of 1867, 1868, 1869, 1871 and 1872

[Weather-history]

5 Februaries out of 6 having CETs of 6.0C and over is a pretty impressive run

February 1867 CET: 6.9C

Linton Park

February: A very mild month with 5 slight frosty mornings. Winds mostly from SSW and W

Selborne

February: Prevailing SW winds, 5 frosts

Banbury

February: 3 frosts

Culford

February: mean temp 44.2F, 5 frosts

Orleton

February: 3 frosts

Derby

February: 3 frosts, a warm month

Aberdeen

February: 3 frosts, winds from S, SW, W frequently

February 1868 CET: 6.3C

Camden Town

16.9C on 25th

Staplehurst

A remarkably mild month

Derby

Warm, genial and sunny

16.7C on 25th

Llandudno

The weather was beautiful and mild during last week

Dumfries

Fruit trees beginning to burst their blossom

February 1869 CET: 7.5C

Some reports from stations

Selborne

December: The mildest December I have ever recorded

February: Vegetation about 6 weeks earlier than average; yew and box in flower early in month.

Highest max: 51.0F

8 air frosts

Banbury

February: Snow on 12th and 22nd; violets in bloom on 20th

Highest max: 56.0F

5 air frosts

Bridport

February: A mild month and vegetation very forward

4 air frosts

Shifnal

February: Nettles several inches high on 5th; willow blossoming; apricots in flower and hawthorn budding on the 16th. Wild daffodil in flower on 20th. Pastures as green as in May.

Boston

February: Limes, elms and other forest trees in being in full bud

Aberdeen

February: A month of fine, mild dry weather except last 4 days were stormy.

Lochbroom

February: Trees and bushes never seemed so green.

Ballater

February: Up to last week, vegetation was making alarming progress for season.

Some station figures

Camden Town

February

Rain: 2.48"

Highest max: 60.8F

4 air frosts

Manchester

February

Rain: 4.44"

Highest max: 61.8F

Barnstaple

February

Rain: 4.35"

Highest max: 62.0F

0 air frosts

Waterford

February

Rain: 2.34"

Highest max: 54.0F

1 air frost

Llandudno

February

Rain: 3.43"

Highest max: 58.0F

0 air frosts

February 1871 CET: 6.1C

Linton Park

A mild but dull month

Bodmin

7.3C average temperature

Haverfordwest

A mild damp month

February 1872 CET: 6.9 C

Linton Park

A mild and dirty month.

Selborne

An unprecedentedly mild and damp February

Lochbroom

This has been the most remarkable February for warmth and mildness in the memory of anyone here.

The period 1846-1885 returned numerous mild to very Februaries, 10 had CETs of over 6.0C and another 10 were 5.0C

Camden Square mean

12th-20th February 1867: 8.7C

21st-29th February 1868: 8.5C

3rd- 11th February 1869 : 10.1C

That is impressive that last figure, an equivalent would be something like February 1998.

Maxima at Camden Square 1st-17th February 1869

1st. 12.8C

2nd. 9.6C

3rd. 12.8C

4th. 14.0C

5th. 16.0C

6th. 14.3C

7th. 12.1C

8th. 12.2C

9th. 10.4C

10th. 13.2C

11th. 13.6C

12th. 10.4C

13th. 9.3C

14th. 10.3C

15th. 9.6C

16th. 11.3C

17th. 12.0C

To show the quirks of the British climate, March 1869 had a CET of just 3.8C, the second half of March 1869 was 4.6C cooler than the first half of February.

A warning to anyone who thinks wintry chances are over after a very mild February.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Weather-history