February 2024 Commentary
This February was very mild and very wet. Day-time temperatures were in the low teens every day during the first three weeks and then dipped only just below double figures for some of the final week. Night-time temperatures were a little more varied but they never dipped below zero and again it was only in the last week that there were some frosty mornings.
The atmospheric pressure however fluctuated considerably during the month, starting with high pressure and little rain for the first few days but thereafter, there were heavy downpours on numerous days, with the 8th, 17th and 25th providing the highest daily totals. The regular pressure changes usually caused strong winds, often from the west.
The average temperature for February was 9.1C, making it the mildest February this century and for at least half the month, temperatures were more like those experienced in an average April or May.
The total rainfall of 240.8mm (nearly 9 inches) was almost level with the record recorded for February this century in 2020. However, when one realises that last year a total of only 7.6 mm. was recorded during February, you can see that February rainfall can be incredibly variable. It therefore cannot be added to our usual period of heavy winter rainfall that regularly runs from October to January inclusive. February's average rainfall over the last decade has been 114mm
The winter quarter of December, January and February has combined figures that show an overall mild winter with only 2015/16 being milder this century, while rainfall totals, though very large, are a good bit lower than the winter of 2013/14 and about the same as 2019/20.
The muddy fields around the village have again made dog-walking hazardous, though Cerne Abbas has avoided any serious flooding this winter so far thanks to the recent improvements to the dam above Kettle Bridge and the good work of Andrew Popkin, our flood warden.
Philip Spray