Temperature
1. The minimum temperature of -54 degrees F at Denali Park Htrs,
AK on Feb 5 set an all time Feb record and was just 1 degree
above their all time coldest temperature. Period of record begins
1922.
2. The maximum temperature of -42 degrees F at Fairbanks, AK on
Feb 4 was the latest date on record with a maximum of -40 or
lower. As of Feb 10, Fairbanks, AK experienced their 16th day in a
row with maximum temperatures -20 degrees F or lower. The
longest such streak is 18 days. Fairbanks also recorded a -36
degrees on February 13th, this was a record breaking 19 consecutive
days with a temperature colder than -35. The old record was 18 days
set in 1964 and 1971. Period of record begins in 1904
3. Cold continued over northern Alaska with new monthly record
low temperatures set at Galena with - 64 degrees below F, and
-61 degrees below F at McGrath which ties the February record already
set earlier this month. Also, Fairbanks recorded a -42 degree below
F temperature from a weather balloon launched at the station.
The -42 degrees was recorded at the 5,000 foot level above the
surface and is the lowest temperature recorded at the level in
over 40 years.
4. The -5 degrees F temperature at Cold Bay, AK on Feb 9 tied
the all time Feb minimum temperature
5. On Feb 8, Bettles, Galena, Tanana and McGrath, AK set new
daily lows with -64, -60, -60 and -55, (degrees F) respectively.
At these sites, the temperatures were the lowest on record for so
late in the winter. Also, Bettles set a February record with -64 and
Galena's minimum of -64 on Feb 2 was a February record.
6. The temperature finally climbed above the zero degree F mark at
McGrath, AK on February 14, 1999. This was the first time in three
weeks that McGrath rose above the zero degrees mark. The low
temperature fell to only 7 above zero on the 15th, that was also
the first time in three weeks where the overnight temperature
remained above zero.
7. Cold Snap 1999 Over in the Gold Rush City of Nome, AK.
Temperatures on the morning of February 10th, 1999 rose above
the zero degree F. mark for the first time since January 24th,
1999. This string of 16 days ranks third on the list of
consecutive days where the average temperature was 10 degrees
below zero F. or colder. The cold snap of 1999 fell short by
three days to the Great Cold Outbreak of 1989 and way short
of the longest duration cold wave in Nome’s history of 29
days set back in 1971.
8. Anchorage, AK experienced 5 consecutive days (Feb 1-5) with
sub-zero temperatures tying a record set in 1947.
9. Kodiak, AK had a February mean temperature of 21.7 degrees F.,
making it their second coldest February. The coldest February
occurred in 1896 with a mean temperature of 17.8 degrees F.
10. Maximum temperatures in the mid 70's (degree F) on Feb 10 at
Omaha, Lincoln, and North Platte, NE were not only daily records,
but were the warmest temperatures ever so early in the year.
11. Moline IL set a daily maximum temperature record on February 11th
with 61 degrees F. at 4AM.
12. On Feb 11 at Flint, Mi, the 8AM temperature of 46 degrees
broke the previous maximum for the date of 42 degrees. The final
maximum of 67 was the warmest February temperature since airport
records began in 1942. This was also the warmest temperature
ever recorded so early in the year.
13. Other record February maximum temperatures:
Milwaukee, WI 67 Feb 11 Records began in 1871
Indianapolis, IN 75 Feb 11 Records began in 1871
Columbus, OH 74 Feb 11 Records began in 1878
Dayton, OH 73 Feb 11 Records began in 1882
Detroit, MI 70 Feb 11 Records began in 1870
This was the earliest 70 degree reading recorded in Detroit. The
previous earliest was March 7, 1987.
14. Chicago's Feb 11 maximum of 70 was the warmest so early in any
year.
15. Both La Crosse, WI and Rochester, MN experienced one of their warmest
February's. Though not record breaking, the warmth this month continues
a string that began in December 1997. Since that month, La Cross has experienced
only one below normal month, while Rochester has experienced two.
Precipitation
1. Olympia, Seattle and Quillayute, WA established record
precipitation totals for the 4-month November-February period.
Seattle’s record of 34.39" broke the old record of 32.46".
Olympia’s 55.70" broke the old record of 42.03", while at
Quillayute, the 88.93" exceeded the old record of 60.89" by
almost 30". Seattle’s period of record begins in 1891, Olympia’s
in 1941 and Quillayute’s in 1966.
2. Quillayute, WA set a Feb record with 26.20" of rain breaking
the old record of 20.60". A new winter season record of 63.00"
broke the existing Dec-Feb seasonal record of 59.92".
3. Seattle-- In addition there have been 87 days with measureable
precipitation in the same period. The record is 87 days.
4. Olympia set a new precipitation record for February with 15.50",
breaking the old record of 13.18".
5. The October-February precipitation total at Glasgow, MT set a
5-month record with 5.72", breaking the old record of 5.54" set
in 1924-25.
6. Mobile, Al had 1.09" of rain in February breaking the old Feb
record for driest such month established in 1855.
7. The .76" of rainfall at Pensacola, Fl makes Feb 1999 the second
driest such month.
8. Abilene, Tx had no measureable precipitation in February equaling
two other such months in 1907 and 1909.
Wind
1. Cheyenne, Wy experienced its strongest February wind gust with 71 mph
on Feb 2.
Pressure
1. None Reported.
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