February came in and went out on the damp and chilly side with above normal rainfall and below normal temperatures. We had 8 days with measureable rainfall for a total of 4.58 inches with a trace of sleet on February 11. Normal rainfall for February is 3.36 inches. Total rainfall for the year now stands at 5.32 inches. Normal rainfall through February is 6.98 inches. The 2018 Farmer’s Almanac did predict below normal temperatures and above normal rainfall in February for east Texas.
February temperatures, for the most part, were slightly below normal with a low of 20 degrees on February 6 and a high of 82 degrees on February 28. The coldest three months of the year are now behind us and spring is just around the corner. The ground hog did see its shadow on February 2 which is supposed to mean six more weeks of wintry weather ahead. However, according to a publication called “Storm Fax”, ole’ Punxsutawney Phil’s weather prognostications have been wrong 61 percent of the time over the past 132 years.
RAINFALL BY MONTH IN INCHES
Month Rainfall | Normal | Departure
January 0.74 3.62 -2.88
February 4.58 3.36 +1.22
Total 5.32 6.98 -1.66
Looking ahead to March: March marks the beginning of spring with warmer weather ahead. March is normally our third wettest month of the year at 4.33 inches of rain. According to the 2018 Farmer’s Almanac, March temperatures for east Texas will be slightly below normal with near normal rainfall.
The above rainfall and temperature data was recorded by Barney Leach, former co-op weather volunteer for the National Weather Service and former weather volunteer for Channel 8 in Dallas, Channel 10 in Waco and radio station KNES in Fairfield.
