February 2009
Report and Summary
Tyler, Texas
February 2009
by Robert K. Peters, Ph.D.
National Weather Service Cooperating Observer
The month of February 2009 was warmer and drier than normal. Compared with February 2008, the month was 3.0 deg. Warmer, and 1.35 inches drier. Year-to-date rainfall through month's end was 2.77 inches less in 2009 than in 2008.
For much of the month, upper air high pressure extended northeastward out of North Mexico. This warmed temperatures, kept the air mass generally dry, and shoved the main storm track to the north of the region for most of the month. The thirty-day outlook had called for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation.
The week February 1-7 saw temperatures about 3 degrees warmer than normal, and rainfall about 40 percent of normal. Fast-moving Arctic fronts on the 1st and 3rd kept temperatures well below normal through mid-week. Showers and a few thunderstorms accompanied the earlier front. At mid-week, the upper air pattern changed from a northwest flow aloft to a southwest flow aloft. Low pressure, deepening over Western North America, caused strong south winds which transported warm and increasingly moist air into the region beginning on the 6th. The week's average temperature was 52.5 deg., and rainfall was 0.32 inch. This was 5.3 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2008, the week was 4.7 deg. Cooler, and 0.05 inch wetter.
The week February 8-14 saw temperatures about 8 degrees above normal, and rainfall near normal. An upper air storm crossed at mid-week, bringing two rounds of thunderstorms on the 9th and 11th. Severe weather occurred on the evening of the 11th, with a small tornado over northwestern Smith County. Cooler air followed the second disturbance, though the temperature was above normal each day during the week. The week's average temperature was 58.9 deg., which was 6.4 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Rainfall was 0.83 inch. Compared with the same week in 2008, the week was 1.7 deg. Warmer, and 0.56 inch wetter.
The week February 15-21 saw near normal temperatures, and rainfall about one-half normal. Storm systems on the 18th and 21st brought the week's rains, and both were followed by modified Polar Continental air. Warming preceded the front of the 18th, with temperatures well above normal on that day, and near to below normal for the remainder of the week. The week's average temperature was 52.2 deg., which was6.7 deg. Cooler than the previous week. Rainfall was 0.42 inch. Compared with the same week in 2008, the week was 2.3 deg. Warmer, and 1.12 inch drier.
The week February 22-28 saw temperatures about 2 degrees above normal, and on measurable rainfall. The final week of the month began cold, warmed rapidly at mid-week under upper air high pressure, then cooled dramatically at week's end. Upper air high pressure over North Mexico kept the week dry. A tight pressure gradient between high pressure to the east and low pressure over the Plains brought strong winds on the 25th and 26th. Arctic high pressure, building in ton the 28th, brought strong winds on that day. The week's average temperature was 56.8 deg., which was 4.6 deg. Warmer than the previous week. Compared with the same week in 2008, the week was 0.2 deg. Cooler, and 0.15 inch drier.
- KEY TO SYMBOLS:
- A = HAIL
- B = BLOWING
- D = DUST
- F = FOG
- H = HAZE
- IP = SLEET
- K = SMOKE
- L = DRIZZLE
- R = RAIN
- S = SNOW
- T = THUNDERSTORM
- Z = GREENWICH MEAN TIME
- ZL = FREEZING DRIZZLE
- ZR = FREEZING RAIN
- - = LIGHT
- + = HEAVY
R FOLLOWING A TEMPERATURE OR PRECIPITATION VALUE = RECORD
The reporting period for temperatures, precipitation, and phenomenon on each day is for the twenty-four hours ending at midnight hours GMT--6 p.m. CST and 7 p.m. CDT. All times are given using the twenty-four hour clock, and are expressed in Greenwich Mean Time.
Observations are from NWS Station 41/9207/4 in Tyler, Texas. The term "normal" refers to averages from the standard climatic period 1971-2000.
.FEBRUARY 2009
- DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS
- DY MX MN OBS PCPN REMARKS
- 01 70 43 65
- 02 57 41 50 0.32 F, T, PCPN 0300-0500
- 03 67 30 58
- 04 53 31 49
- 05 68 34 62
- 06 74 50 68
- 07 72 57 69
- 08 73 51 66
- 09 61 51 53 0.32 F, PCPN 1200-1900 MN 0000-1200 59, MX 1200-2400 59
- 10 71 56 68 0.02 F, PCPN 1800-2000
- 11 69 45 63 0.49 T, A. MN 0000-1200 49
- 12 72 41 67
- 13 76 55 69
- 14 64 39 59
- 15 61 45 55 tr. T, MN 0000-1200 47
- 16 55 39 53
- 17 66 46 59 0.14 F, PCPN INTERMITTENT 0600-1800 MX 1200-2400 59
- 18 77 54 69 0.02 PCPN 0000-0100 MN 0000-1200 59
- 19 58 36 52 MN 0000-1200 39
- 20 67 32 62
- 21 56 38 49 0.26 F, PCPN 1400-1700 MN 0000-1200 47
- 22 57 27 53
- 23 63 34 58
- 24 75 44 71
- 25 76 58 72
- 26 80 63 76 H
- 27 80 52 70 H, MN 0000-1200 66
- 28 54 32 44 F, H, MN 0000-1200 41
FEBRUARY 2009, RECORDS AND SUMMARY:
- 11TH 0500-0600Z, SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, PEA-SIZED HAIL 0515Z, PK GST 51MPH AT 0522Z;
- HIGHEST TEMPERATURE 80 ON THE 26TH AND 27TH,
- LOWEST TEMPERATURE 27 ON THE 22ND,
- AVERAGE MAXIMUM 66.9 F.,
- AVERAGE MINIMUM 43.4 F.,
- AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 55.2 F.,
- 2.8 DEG. WARMER THAN NORMAL.
- 282 HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
- 77.0 PERCENT OF NORMAL HEATING DEGREE DAYS.
- 12 COOLING DEGREE DAYS,
- 100.0 PERCENT OF NORMAL COOLING DEGREE-DAYS;
- TOTAL PRECIPITATION 1.57 IN.,
- 2.16 IN. LESS THAN MONTHLY NORMAL.
- 42.1 PERCENT OF NORMAL MONTHLY PRECIPITATION.
- YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION 3.27 IN.,
- 3.80 IN. LESS THAN NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION,
- 46.3 PERCENT OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE PRECIPITATION;
- 3 DAYS ON WHICH THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED;
- 8 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY FOG, SMOKE, OR HAZE;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED TO UNDER 1 MILE BY FOG;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY DUST OR BLOWING DUST;
- 1 DAYS ON WHICH FROZEN PRECIPITATION WAS OBSERVED;
- 0 IN. TOTAL SNOWFALL.
- 7 DAYS ON WHICH MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED.
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 90 DEG.;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEG.;
- 0 DAYS ON WHICH THE TEMPERATURE FAILED TO RISE ABOVE 32 DEG.
- 5 DAYS ON WHICH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE REACHED OR FELL BELOW 32 DEG.
- 1836 SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS,
- PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL SEASON-TO-DATE HEATING DEGREE DAYS: 106.8;
- 20 YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS.
- PERCENTAGE OF NORMAL YEAR-TO-DATE COOLING DEGREE DAYS: 125.0;
- PRECIPITATION DURING THE PREVIOUS TWELVE MONTHS 54.88 IN.,
- TWELVE-MONTH PRECIPITATION PERCENTAGE 121.2