Climate summary for February from the Southeast Regional Climate Center:

  • Temperatures were well above average across the Southeast region, with numerous record-breaking extremes observed during February. Mean temperature departures ranged from 3 to as much as 10 degrees F (1.7 to 5.6 degrees C) above average across the region, with the greatest departures found in broad portions of Alabama, the Carolinas, and Virginia.  At least 47 long-term (i.e., period of record equaling or exceeding 50 years) stations across the region, with all but six located in the Carolinas and Virginia, observed their warmest February mean temperature on record.  It is especially outstanding that multiple stations in every state recorded February mean temperatures that were well above their 30-year (1981–2010) mean temperature for March, including Montgomery, AL (+1.9 degrees F above its March mean temperature, +1.1 degrees C above its March mean temperature), Pensacola, FL (+3.2 degrees F, +1.8 degrees C), Atlanta, GA (+1.8 degrees F, +1.0 degree C), Charlotte, NC (+2.3 degrees F, +1.3 degrees C), and Norfolk, VA (+2.1 degrees F, +1.2 degrees C).  The persistence of unseasonable daytime warmth was exceptional for many locations during the month.  At least 51 long-term stations observed their highest count of February days with a maximum temperature at or above 70 degrees F (21.1 degrees C), including Savannah, GA (1874–2017; 21 days), Jacksonville, FL (1872–2017; 25 days), Charleston, SC (1939–2017; 20 days), Greensboro, NC (1903–2017; 11 days), and Charlottesville 2 W, VA (1895–2017; 9 days).  Raleigh, NC (1887–2017) recorded its highest count of February days (3) with a maximum temperature at or above 80 degrees F (26.7 degrees C), while Augusta, GA (1875–2017) tied its highest count of February days (5) with a maximum temperature at or above 80 degrees F.  Temperatures were above average across much of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands during the month, as San Juan, PR (1899–2017) observed its third warmest February mean temperature on record.  Across the Southeast, the warmest weather of the month occurred on the 12th and 24th, as unseasonably warm, moist air surged northward ahead of a cold front. Daytime maximum temperatures exceeded 75 degrees F (23.9 degrees C) across much of the region, with several locations in every state recording at least 80 degrees F. On these two days, eighteen long-term stations in the Carolinas and Virginia observed or tied their highest daily maximum temperature on record for February, including Greenville-Spartanburg, SC (1896–2017; 81 degrees F, 27.2 degrees C), Greensboro, NC (1903–2017; 81 degrees F), Norfolk, VA (1874–2017; 82 degrees F, 27.8 degrees C), and Cape Hatteras, NC (1893–2017; 76 degrees F, 24.4 degrees C).  In contrast, the coldest weather of the month occurred on the 4th and 10th, as Canadian high pressure systems ushered in seasonably cold air from the northwest. Nighttime minimum temperatures fell below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) across much of the region north of Florida, with numerous locations in Virginia and western North Carolina reaching 10 to 20 degrees F (-12.2 to -6.7 degrees C).
  • Precipitation was well below normal across much of the Southeast, with several extremes recorded. The driest locations were found across much of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia, as well as portions of western Alabama and the Florida Peninsula.  Monthly precipitation totals were 10 to 50 percent of normal in these areas.  At least 25 long-term stations, with one or more located in every state, observed February precipitation totals that were ranked within the three lowest values on record.  Greensboro, NC (1903–2017) observed its driest February on record, with only 0.49 inches (12.4 mm) of precipitation.  Several stations observed their second driest February on record, including Mobile, AL (1871–2017; 1.28 inches, 32.5 mm), Raleigh, NC (1887–2017; 0.66 inches, 16.8 mm), and Roanoke, VA (1912–2017; 0.54 inches, 13.7 mm).  Very little snowfall was recorded across the region during the month, with several ski resorts in northern Virginia having to shorten their daily hours of operation.  Only 0.6 inches (15.2 mm) of snowfall was observed at Washington Dulles International Airport, VA (1963–2017), which is 6.7 inches (170 mm) below its average for February.   Mitchell, NC (1980–2017) tied its lowest snowfall total on record for February, with only 1.0 inch (25.4 mm) observed during the month. Precipitation was generally below normal across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands during the month, as Roosevelt Roads, PR (1948–2017) tied its driest February on record with only 0.56 inches (14.2 mm) of precipitation.
  • There were 164 severe weather reports across the Southeast during February, which is about 60 percent greater than the median monthly frequency of 103 reports during 2000–2015. Over half (93 of 164) of the reports were recorded during a severe weather event on the 7th, which affected much of northern Florida as well as southern portions of Alabama and Georgia.  Strong thunderstorm winds caused 1 fatality and 6 injuries in Florida and accounted for over 75 percent (125 of 164) of all severe weather reports across the region.  On the 7th, thunderstorm wind gusts up to 87 mph were observed near Destin, FL, as a powerful squall line moved across the Florida Panhandle.  A few condominiums and businesses sustained significant roof damage, and an EMS worker was injured on Okaloosa Island.  As the squall line continued into northeastern Florida, strong winds caused trees to fall onto multiple homes in Camp Blanding, resulting in 5 injuries.  On the 12th, a squall line produced straight-line wind gusts of 65 and 58 mph at Washington Reagan National Airport, VA and Washington Dulles International Airport, VA, respectively.  A total of 8 tornadoes (2 EF-0s, 5 EF-1s, 1 EF-2) were confirmed across the region during the month, which is near the median frequency of 7 tornadoes observed during February.  On the 9th, an EF-2 tornado tracked over 10 miles across Bulloch and Effingham Counties in southeastern Georgia.  Several mobile homes were severely damaged or destroyed, resulting in 7 injuries.  On the 9th, non-convective wind gusts of 40 to nearly 60 mph were recorded at numerous locations across North Carolina and Virginia, as a nor’easter cyclone rapidly intensified off the Atlantic coast.
  • Drought conditions began to reintensify across the interior portion of the region during February. The coverage of moderate-to-extreme (D1–D3) drought across the Southeast increased from 21 percent on January 31st to 30 percent on February 28th.  Areas of extreme drought expanded in portions of central Alabama and northern Georgia, and severe-to-extreme (D2–D3) drought reemerged across much of the western Carolinas.  A narrow corridor of moderate-to-severe drought developed east of the Shenandoah Valley in northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area, while a broader area of moderate drought emerged across parts of central and southern Florida.  Streamflows, lake levels, and soil moisture remained extremely low across the interior portion of the region during February, due to unseasonably warm temperatures, below-average precipitation, and earlier-than-normal groundwater consumption by vegetation. Over 50 percent of the USGS gages in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia recorded well below normal (i.e., less than the 10th percentile) streamflows at the end of the month. During mid-February, high winds and low humidity contributed to the development of a 5,000-acre wildfire in Polk County, FL, which destroyed a dozen homes. Pasture conditions continued to improve across portions of the region recovering from drought, with limited livestock grazing reported for the first time since last summer in parts of Alabama, Georgia, western North Carolina, and southwestern Virginia. However, a significant shortage of hay persisted in many areas, as livestock producers maintained a supplemental feeding for their herds. An exceptional lack of accumulated chill hours during February (and the winter season) could significantly diminish fruit and nut yields across the region. Premature budding and blooming of several crops (e.g., blueberries, strawberries, peaches, and pecans) were observed as far north as Virginia, which increases their vulnerability to damaging late frosts or freezes. Well-above-average temperatures ended the harvesting of maple sap unusually early for many syrup producers in western Virginia.
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