1. Beckley, WV received only 0.69 inches of precipitation in February 2002. This is a new record --- the previous driest February was in 1968 when 0.94 inches of precipitation fell. If you consider all months of the year, only 11 months have been drier than February 2002.
2. February 2002 was the driest February on record for Philadelphia and Allentown PA, Wilmington, DE and Atlantic City, NJ. Two cities, Philadelphia and Allentown both received only 0.55 inches of precipitation while Wilmington received 0.43 inches and Atlantic City picked up only 0.74 inches. During the December 2001 through February 2002 period (meteorological winter) only 4.66 inches of precipitation fell making it the driest such period.
3. Long term precipitation deficits contine to mount up across parts of the Carolina's. For the 144 month period from July 1998 through February 2002, the total precipitation recorded at Asheville Airport, NC was 174.44 inches, 158.04 inches at Charlotte and 186.78 inches at Greenville-Spartanburg, SC. These amounts over the almost four year period are only 79-80% of normal.
1. The average temperature at Binghamton, NY for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (meteorological winter) was 31.3 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 29.9 degrees set in 1997-1998, with the 30 year normal being 24.7 degrees F. Each of the last three months has finished in the top five warmest respectively. Going back to October 2001, the five month period is also the warmest on record with an average temperature of 37.7 degrees F. -- the normal is 32.2 degrees F.
2.The average temperature at Boston, MA for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 37.9 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 36.5 degrees set in 1932-1933 with the 30 year normal being 30.1 degrees F. The lowest temperature during the period was just 13 degrees F. set on February 12, 2002. The previous warmest minimum was 11 degrees set on February 16th and 25th in 1932. Records began at the station back in 1872.
3. The average temperature at Providence, RI for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 36.7 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 36.4 degrees set in 1948-1949 with the 30 year normal being 30.8 degrees F. The lowest temperature during the period was just 13 degrees F. set on February 12, 2002. The previous warmest minimum was 12 degrees set on February 16th, 21st and 25th in 1932. Records began at the station back in 1904-1905.
4. The average temperature at Worcester, MA for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 33.1 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 32.0 degrees set in 1936-1937 with the 30 year normal being 26.0 degrees F. The lowest temperature during the period was just 10 degrees F. set on February 14, 2002. The previous warmest minimum was 5 degrees set on February 16, 1932 and December 1, 1936. Records began at the station back in 1892.
5. The average temperature at Winsor Locks, CT for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 35.1 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 34.6 degrees set in 1931-1932 and 1939-1937 with the 30 year normal being 27.9 degrees F. Records began at the station back in 1904-1905.
6.The average temperature at Syracuse, NY for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 34.0 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 33.3 degrees set in 1932-1933 with the 30 year normal being 25.9 degrees F. Going back to October 2001, the five month period is also the warmest on record with an average temperature of 40.6 degrees F. -- the normal is 33.7 degrees F. Records began at the station back in 1922.
7.The average temperature at Avoca, PA for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 35.0 degrees F. This broke the previous record of 33.5 degrees set in 1997-1998 with the 30 year normal being 28.5 degrees F. Going back to October 2001, the five month period is also the warmest on record with an average temperature of 41.0 degrees F. -- the normal is 35.7 degrees F. Records began at the station back in 1955.
8. The average temperature at Portland. ME for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 31.3 degrees F. This was the warmest such period on record for the Portland Jetport which began taking records in 1940-1941. The 31.3 degree reading tied the winter of 1932-1933 reading for warmest ever at the Portland Intown site.
9. The winter of 2001-2002 was the warmest winter on record for the Champlain Valley, VT. The winter average temperature in Burlington, VT was 28.7 degrees which was 8.4 degrees above the normal of 20.3 degrees. This broke the old record of 27.5 degrees The period from November 2002 through February 2002 was also the warmest on record.
10. Burlington, VT did not observe any zero or colder readings during this winter season. This was the first time that has ever happened. Records for the station date back to 1883.
11. February 2002 was the first February since 1988 that northern and central Georgia have not experienced at least one severe weather event during the month. No severe thunderstorms, tornadoes or flash floods were observed. February 2002 marked yet another month in what has been a prolonged period of quiet weather during the last six months. Since September 2001, there have only been a handful of severe weather events with September, December and February each having none. One event was experienced in October and January and there were six events in November, one of which was a tornado in Dade county.
12. At the Buffalo Airport, NY the average temperature for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (meteorological winter) was 32.9 degrees F. This was the warmest such period on record for the station which began taking records in 1943. It was the third warmest such period for the downtown location which began taking records in 1871.
13. At Caribou, ME the average temperature for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (meteorological winter) was 19.2 degrees F. This was the warmest such period on record for the station -- the old record was 17.8 set in the winter of 1959-1960. Records for the station began in 1939.
14. Lake Erie remained ice free as of the end of February for only the fifth time in over 70 years since records began in the 1920's. The other ice free years were 1932, 1954, 1983 and 1998. Ice did form during a cold March in 1932 but the Lake remained open during the other three years.
15. The average temperature at Central Park, NY for the December 2001-Feb 2002 period (Meteorological winter) was 40.6 degrees F., six degrees above normal. This reading tied February 1998 and February 1984 as the warmest February on record.
