Extreme Cold and Below Normal Precipitation Impact Delaware During February 2015

 

 

February Temperatures

Preliminary data indicates that the statewide average temperature in February was 26.4°F, 10.1°F below the 1981-2010 normal of 36.5°F (Figure 1). Delaware’s February 2015 temperatures were the coldest since February 1979 and the 7^th coldest since records began in 1895.

February Precipitation

Delaware’s preliminary statewide precipitation total for February 2015 averaged 2.37 inches, 0.54 inches below the 1981-2010 mean (Figure 2). Several snowfall events dropped approximately 10 inches of snow across most of Delaware over the course of the month (Figure 3). Notable snowfalls occurred in southern portions of the state on February 17^th and 26^th, while northern portions of the state had significant snowfall on February 21^st.

Statewide Spatial Averages

All stations across the Delaware Environmental Observing System (DEOS) network experienced much lower than normal temperatures during February 2015 (Figure 4). Mean monthly temperatures were generally 9°F to 13°F below normal across the entire State.

All DEOS stations across Delaware saw below normal precipitation totals, with totals for the month ranging from nearly 3 inches in southern Delaware to between 1 and 2 inches across the northern portions of the State (Figure 5).