FEBRUARY 2011 SUMMARY & MARCH REFLECTIONS

FEBRUARY was clearly the most benign of the 3 winter months (meteorologically taken as Dec. Jan. Feb.). The daily mean maximum temperature at 6.0 degrees, was within a whisker of the long term average, while the daily mean minimum at 0.5 degrees, was actually almost 1 degree above the long term average, due to an absence of sharp frosts.

There were 13 air frosts & 22 ground frosts, with -3.6 the lowest air temp. & -9.3, on the last night of the month, the lowest ground temp.

There was little in the way of snow, which was observed to fall on only 6 days. The number of days with snow lying at 0900Hrs was only 3, with a maximum depth of only 3cms on the 3rd.

Rainfall was well above average at 130.7mms (170% ), with the wettest day on the 3rd of 24.0mms. 22 days had at least 0.2mms of rain. It appears to have been the wettest February since 2002, with the Tummel in spate on a couple of occasions.

All in all, not a month that will be fixed in peoples' memories, except that it brought a degree of badly- needed relief following the previous 2 months.

MARCH REFLECTIONS
The month is regarded, meteorologically, as the 1st month of Spring. However, as most of us realize, it is quite capable of delivering a nasty taste of winter on occasions & it is at this time of year, that N.E.winds can blow with increased frequency.

Pitlochry records, going back to 1976, show that the following years had a cold March: 76/79/80/87/96 & 06, each with daytimes averaging between 6.1 & 6.6. 1996 had one day when the highest temperature was only 1 degree & 1986 had one night with the lowest temperature down to -11.2.
But, switching to the more positive, the month has seen temperatures averaging above 10 degrees by day (1990/1991/2000 & best of all 2003 , when one temperature hit 17.6).

Barry (thebigane@hotmail.com )