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Use these links to access detailed analyses of Global and U.S. data.
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Temperature Analysis
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February 2002 temperatures were much above normal from North Dakota eastward across the Great Lakes region to New England. Below normal temperatures occurred in 6 states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Utah and Idaho). This is first month since October 2001 where average statewide temperatures have been below normal in any state. A temperature time series for Utah shows that it is the first February in eight years with below average temperatures for that state. |
| The graph to the right shows a temperature time series for Alaska. In February, temperatures averaged across the state were well above the long-term mean for the third year in a row. Only three of the last 17 Februarys have been below the mean. |
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February temperatures in the East North Central region were well above the long term mean , contrasting starkly to temperatures in February last year. Four of the last five Februarys have been above the mean.
Temperature time series for all regions can be found in the table below. |
Precipitation Analysis
| Nationwide, February precipitation was much below average. Record dryness occurred in New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, and dryness extended throughout the mid-Atlantic states into the Tennessee and Ohio valleys. Other areas of much below normal precipitation were North and South Dakota and Nebraska, and also Arizona and Utah. In contrast, Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as Wyoming and Montana, received above average precipitation. |
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February 2002 was the 4th consecutive February with well below average precipitation in the 1895 to present record for the Southeast region.
Precipitation time series for all regions can be found in the table below. |
| The growing season runs from October through February for thePrimary Hard Red Winter Wheat Belt. Preliminary data indicate that precipitation was below average for the latest season (ending February 2002). |  |
Regional Temperature and Precipitation Time Series
View a temperature or precipitation time series for any region from the table below. Click on a region's precipitation or temperature rank to view the 1895-2002 February time series.
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Historical precipitation and temperature ranking maps are also available courtesy of the Climate Prediction Center.
Additional information about current climate anomalies can be found at the respective Web Pages of the Southern Regional Climate Center, Western Regional Climate Center, Midwest Regional Climate Center, Southeast Regional Climate Center, High Plains Regional Climate Center, and the Northeast Regional Climate Center.
Other Notable Weather Events - February
On the 5th, heavy fog was blamed for at least two deaths and dozens of injuries in car accidents involving 90 vehicles in Selma, California. Visibility in the area of the two chain-reaction crashes was limited to about 50 feet (15.2 m)(AP).
Further south, a winter storm brought snowfall to portions of Texas, east Arkansas, north Mississippi and west Tennessee on the 5th and 6th. Searcy and Polk Counties in Arkansas reported up to 7 inches (17.8 cm) of snow (NWS).
On the 8th, welcomed snowfall helped make ready Winter Olympic venues in Salt Lake City, Utah, but accompanying high winds caused many events to be canceled (AP).
Late in the month on the 26th, up to 7 inches (17.8 cm) of snow fell in the northwest and northern suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. For the month of February, Marquette, Michigan set a new all-time monthly snowfall record of 91.9 inches (233.4 cm). The previous record was 91.7 inches(232.9 cm) in January 1997. The new record far surpassed the old February record of 63.6 inches (161.5 cm) set in 1995 (NWS).
Questions?
For all climate questions other than questions concerning this report, please contact the National Climatic Data Center's Climate Services Division:
Climate Services Division
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4876
phone: 828-271-4800
email: questions@ncdc.noaa.gov
For further information on the historical climate perspective presented in this report, contact:
Catherine Godfrey
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Catherine.S.Godfrey@noaa.gov
Jay Lawrimore
NOAA/National Climatic Data Center
151 Patton Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801-5001
fax: 828-271-4328
email: Jay.Lawrimore@noaa.gov
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