FEBRUARY 1996
 | A daily summary |
1996 Day 1974-95 1996 Day 1974-95
Mean Max Temperature 4.8 5.5 Highest Max temp 8.7 15 10.5
Mean Min Temperature 2.1 2.9 Lowest Min temp -1.0 8 -5.1
Mean Sea Temperature 6.6 6.5 Lowest grass minimum -4.6 20 -12.3
30 cm Earth temperature 4.1 4.2 Days with ground frost 8 10.4
100cm Earth temperature 5.2 5.0 Days with air frost 3 3.9
Total Rainfall (mm) 70.7 63.6 Days with snow/sleet 18 11.0
Wettest Day (mm) 10.9 29 11.3 Days snow cover 09hr 3 3.4
Rain Days (> 0.1mm) 24 19.7 Days with hail 14 11.6
Wet Days (> 0.9mm) 18 13.9 Days fog during 24hrs 2 3.5
Total sunshine, hrs 53.2 59.1 Days with fog at 09hrs 0 0.4
Sunniest day, hrs 7.6 26 7.0 Days with NIL sun 11 7.9
Mean wind speed, kts 20.5 18.8 Days with gale 11 6.9
Maximum gust, kts 71 9 64.9 Days with thunder 0 0.5
Mean Sea Level pressure 1009.9 1010.5 Days with aurora 3 3.7
Wind Direction%
North 13.8 9.0 S. West 20.7 14.8
N. East 3.4 4.3 West 13.8 13.8
East 10.3 9.0 N. West 6.9 7.6
S. East 13.8 14.7
South 17.2 22.8 CALM 0.0 1.4
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Weather Diary
February 1996
1| A cloudy day, with the occasional very light rain shower during the morning period. Overnight the SSE F4 veered S and eased F2, then becoming F1-2 S'E to SW - calm for a time in the afternoon - before veering W F1 during the evening. Visibility 30 km falling to 15 km to 20 km during the afternoon. Some sunshine for a time mid-afternoon as breaks in the stratocumulus cloud sheet developed for a time to the south-west.
2| Cloudy and dry overnight with a slight ground frost developing. Some light showers of rain, small hail and snow pellets during the morning as convective cloud became more well developed and broke through the stratocumulus sheet - some cloud tops becoming fibrous at about 5000 ft to 6000 ft. The shower activity ceased by midday to give a dry afternoon and evening. Visibility improving overnight to 40 km. Overnight the wind veered NW - continuing to veer to be NNE by the end of the morning and increasing F4-5 by the same time.
3| A cloudy, cold day - dry apart from a couple of very light snow showers just before midday. Wind generally between NNW and NNE F4-5 overnight, easing F3 by the end of the morning and falling calm for a time by late evening, but then WSW F1 by the end of the period. Visibility 30 km to 50 km. 1100 UTC Sea temperature 7.1 Celsius.
4| A mostly cloudy and dry day - apart from a few overnight light showers of snow pellets. During the day the wind slowly backed and freshened from an early W F2-3 to be SE F6 by late evening. Visibility 60 km for the most part - with relatively dry air during the afternoon (55% and dew points of -5 Celsius).
5| Cloudy, but dry overnight with the SE F6 increasing SSE F7, and gale F8 1105-1115 UTC. Outbreaks of drizzle from 1115 UTC, with some rain and snow during the early afternoon. Wind becoming S'ly F6-7 after midday. Dry by 1500 UTC, but further outbreaks of rain and drizzle during the evening. Visibility falling to 30 km overnight, and to 12 km in the precipitation.
6| Cloudy, with outbreaks of rain and drizzle overnight and rain, drizzle and snow during the morning. Wind SE F7 increasing gale F8 0440-0500; 0605-0820;0930-0945 and from 1100 UTC. Precipitation turning showery for a time during the afternoon with rain and small hail, before reverting to rain and snow for the evening.. Visibility 15 km throughout the period.
7| Continuing cloudy, with overnight rain and snow, turning to light snow during the morning as the temperature fell slightly to around or just below 2 Celsius. Just before midday there was some snow pellets as the precipitation turned showery. Continuing light snow showers resulted in some patchy accumulation by 1700 UTC. Visibility 10 km to 15 km, falling to 6 km in the precipitation. Wind SE'S F7, backing SE F6-7 during the afternoon.
8| Further snow showers overnight leading to 1 cm of lying snow by 0600 UTC. A cold day, with temperatures around 1 or 2 Celsius and frequent, occasionally prolonged, snow showers - some moderate with the visibility falling from 12 Km to 20 km to as low as 600 m in the heavier showers. Wind generally SE'E to SE F5-6, but backing E'S F4 0910-0945 UTC - possibly due to the passage of a snow shower. With a dry evening and the temperature rising slightly to 2 or 3 Celsius during the evening most of the lying snow melted.
9| Further showers of rain and snow overnight and during the morning - moderate at times. Some patches of lying wet snow until 0700 UTC. Wind SE'E F6, increasing gale F8 at 0940 UTC. The early visibility of 20 km falling to 10 km overnight, and to 5000 m during the morning. Showers turning to continuous rain and snow after 1300 UTC - precipitation moderate at times, with the visibility generally 2000 m to 5000 m. Snow content low except in the heavier precipitation when the visibility fell as low as 1200 m. Wind backing ESE and increasing severe gale F9 during the evening, with a gust to 71 Kt at 2105 UTC. Frequent gusts in excess of 60 Kt Temperature generally 3.0 to 3.5 Celsius.
10| The gale F8, increasing severe gale F9 at times continued overnight with continuous rain and drizzle (or spray? - the precipitation tasted salty!). Visibility was reduced by the large amounts of spray to around 2500 m to 5000 m. A very heavy SE sea running. At times - as extra large waves crashed against the cliffs - 'solid' sheets of spray were observed being thrown to a height of about 200 feet. A mist of blown spray was virtually continuously over the 400 foot high Sheep Rock to the east of the station. Overnight and during the morning gusts to 60-65 Kt were common but, during the afternoon - with the wind easing very slightly - the gusts were mostly 57-62 Kt During the evening the wind backed E'S and, as it became a little cooler with the temperature falling to around 2 Celsius, the precipitation turned to rain and snow.
11| Further outbreaks of rain and snow at first, but then becoming rain and drizzle. The E'S gale ceased at 0035 UTC, but again increased gale F8 0500-0740 UTC with gusts to 57 Kt With the slow easing in the wind and less spray around the visibility improved overnight to 20 km by morning. During the morning there were frequent gusts of 45-50 kt. Temperature rising a little to around 4 Celsius during the afternoon with outbreaks of drizzle. Wind easing F5-6 at the same time. Visibility 10 km to 20 km, but falling to 5000 m in precipitation.
12| A cloudy night with outbreaks of drizzle and the E'ly F5 wind increasing F6. Becoming colder during the morning with outbreaks of rain and snow, then wintry showers for a time in the early afternoon before further outbreaks of rain and snow - moderate at times and giving a patchy snow cover above 300 feet above sea level. Wind backing NNE'ly and easing F4 during the afternoon. Snow showers returning during the evening, giving a temporary thin snow cover by 2100 GMT and the cloud well broken between the showers. Visibility 10 km to 20 km, but falling to 5000 m in snow showers.
13| A few early light snow showers dying out overnight. A fine morning with well-broken cloud and a F5-6 N'ly wind. With dry air an 'ice-bulb' effect resulted in the ground surface freezing for a time around 0900 GMT. Becoming cloudy by midday with a few light snow pellet showers during the afternoon, but becoming dry by evening. Visibility improving from an early 20 km to 40 km by the afternoon, with the wind slowly easing F2 by evening. At 0550 GMT what looked like extremely high, thin cirrus with a ripple-like structure and 'glowing' with a silvery light, was observed to the east - extending to an elevation of about 45 degs. After 0710 GMT the brightness in the clouds rapidly faded to a greyish colour and - by sunrise - the only high cloud visible was low down above the south-west horizon. No iridescence or any lenticular structure was observed, but on reflection these are thought to have been NACREOUS clouds.
14| A cloudy, dry night with the light NNE wind backing SW'W and increasing F4 overnight. Despite the stratocumulus cloud sheet a ground frost occurred earlier in the night before the increasing wind brought slightly milder conditions. A bright start to the morning period as the lower cloud dispersed, but high cloud thickening to medium level cloud during the morning meant that there was no measurable sunshine. During the afternoon the wind backed SW'ly, increasing F7 by early evening and to gale F8 2230-2245 UTC. After some intermittent light rain around mid-afternoon persistent rain and drizzle commenced at 1710 UTC. The precipitation remained light all evening, becoming intermittent by midnight. Temperature rising from 2 or 3 Celsius at first to 7 Celsius during the evening. Visibility 40 km, falling to 10 km to 20 km with the onset of the rain. 1430 UTC: Sea temperature 6.5 Celsius.
15| Visibility falling to 5000 m overnight in moderate rain and drizzle with extensive low stratus in the mild airstream - the temperature remaining at around 8 Celsius for much of the time. By midday the SW'W wind had veered W'ly and eased a little to a F6. The rain and drizzle continued throughout the day - becoming moderate at times. Low stratus was extensive giving very misty conditions with the visibility around 1000 m to 3000 m, and with fog more or less continuous from 1630 UTC - the visibility down to 400 m at times.
16| Cloudy with further rain overnight and the wind W'ly F7. As the stratus base lifted slightly the visibility improved to 12 km by dawn. A cloudy morning with the precipitation turning showery after 0600 UTC. The temperature fell from a mild 8 Celsius at first to around 5 Celsius by mid-morning - with the showers turning wintry in nature with a mixture of rain, snow and small hail. The wind, veering W'N, increased gale F8 0750-0930 UTC. The frequent - often squally - wintry showers continued through the afternoon with the anvils from numerous cumulonimbus clouds merging into a general medium level overcast. The visibility - generally around 8 km to 15 km - fell to 3000 m in a moderate shower during the afternoon. By 2100 UTC the wind had veered NW'ly and eased F5-6.
17| Further wintry and squally showers at first with the F5-6 NW wind easing F4 and backing N'ly after 0230 UTC. A fine morning with well broken cloud and the wind slowly veering NE'ly F2-3 followed by thickening cloud and a strengthening SE wind in the afternoon - with the visibility improving from 25 km to 40 km. A halo was observed very briefly shortly after 1400 UTC. The wind continued to increase - reaching F7 during the evening. Rain, with sleet at times, began at 1905 UTC and soon became moderate in intensity - with the visibility falling to 10 km.
18| Moderate rain turning to rain and snow by morning. SE F7 increasing gale F8 0100-0510 UTC, backing E'S by same time. Visibility 8 km. Drier during the morning with rain and snow turning to showers of rain, snow and snow pellets. Wind backing ENE F7, and gale F8 1110-1155 UTC. Visibility improving to 15 km by midday. Further showers of snow and snow pellets during the afternoon - some of them moderate. Becoming very much drier as the wind backed NNE F7 - relative humidity falling of 46% at 1500 UTC - by which time the visibility had improved to 50 km. As a result of an 'ice-bulb' effect the ground began to freeze by 1700 UTC, with ice forming on the puddles - the air temperature remaining at around 2 or 3 Celsius. Moderate snow showers during the evening with 1 cm of lying snow by 2100 UTC. Aurora glow observed to the north at 2230 UTC.
19| Broken cloud and some snow showers overnight, but with little further increase in depth. A cold night with an air frost and a F7 N to NNE'ly wind. This increased NNE to NE gale F8 at 0725 UTC and, as the lying snow became dry and lose as the humidity fell, moderate drifting of the lying snow began - lasting until mid-morning. The gale ceased at 1100 UTC. A dry, cold and bright afternoon and evening with little thawing of the lying snow. The wind easing NE'E F5-6 by evening. Marked shadow-like waves visible high in the atmosphere to the east 0700-0730 UTC - a phenomena seen fairly frequently. Visibility generally 30 km to 40 km, but falling considerably in the earlier showers and drifting snow.
20| A dry, clear and cold night with an air frost - despite the wind falling light. A bright, clear morning with 50 km visibility. Only a slow thawing of the lying snow - despite the sunshine and temperatures rising to 4 Celsius by midday - due to the very dry air. Only 32% RH at midday. During the afternoon, as the wind began to freshen WSW F3-4, stratocumulus cloud spread slowly in from the north-west. A cloudy evening with a little drizzle after 2000 UTC - the wind having increased SSW to SW F5-6.
21| A cloudy day with extensive low stratus and rain and drizzle for much of the time - though somewhat drier during the evening. The visibility, after falling to around 2000 m in extensive low stratus during the morning, improved to 8 km to 20 km during the afternoon as the low stratus lifted slightly. Becoming milder during the day, with the overnight temperature of 3 to 4 Celsius rising to just below 6 Celsius by the afternoon. The wind, SSW F4-5 for much of the day, veered WNW at 2020 UTC - the precipitation then turning showery.
22| A mostly dry night with the cloud becoming well broken by 0600 UTC. Apart from a light rain and snow shower around 0800 UTC and a light rain shower mid-afternoon it was a dry day with broken cloud and 40 km visibility. The wind, WNW F5 at first backed W and eased F3 by morning. During the afternoon the wind then backed SSW'ly and gradually increased F5-6 by late afternoon. 1630 UTC Sea temperature 6.5 Celsius. As the cloud cleared late in the evening a slight aurora glow was observed at 2350 UTC.
23| Becoming cloudy overnight with thickening medium level cloud, but remaining dry with a F6 SSW'ly wind increasing S F7. Outbreaks of rain during the morning reduced the visibility from 30 km to 15 km although amounts of low cloud remained small. A dry afternoon, with a clearance visible to the south-west at 1400 UTC, slowly spreading in - the altostratus thinning to cirrus. The S'ly wind decreased F6 during the afternoon. A mostly cloudy evening, with an aurora glow visible to the north between cloudbase and hill top at 2345 UTC.
24| A mild, dry cloudy night with 30 km visibility and a F6 S'ly wind. Between 0815 and 0905 UTC - in association with a moderate rain shower in which a few flakes of snow were observed - the wind veered SSW. At about this time an aircraft reported the cloud tops to be about 4000 feet. The rest of the morning and afternoon was dry with well broken low cloud and extensive medium level cloud. Visibility was 40 km to 50 km, and the S to SSW'ly wind slowly eased F3 by late afternoon. The evening began dry, with the wind backing light E'ly, but rain showers developed just before midnight as the wind increased SE F3.
25| A cloudy night with wintry showers of rain, snow and small hail. A moderate shower left some melting snow and hail on the ground around 0900 UTC. Overnight the SE F3 wind veered S'E F4-5. At 0230 UTC there was a sudden increase in the mean speed from 5 kt to 24 kt (gust 30 kt), followed by a slow easing. This was probably associated with a shower. During the late morning the wind eased F1-2 and veered SSW'ly - then veering SW'ly by early afternoon and steadily increasing and veering to be F5-6 W'S to WSW'ly by early evening. The morning and afternoon was dry - although there were many showers visible around Fair Isle. Further wintry showers developed during the evening, some of which were moderate and squally leaving some melting snow and hail on the ground at times.. Visibility was 20 km to 40 km, but less in showers.
26| Wintry showers of small hail dying out overnight and the WSW F5 wind easing W'N to NW'ly F3. Despite numerous cumulonimbus clouds with extensive well developed anvils giving adjacent showers, the day remained dry with quite a lot of sunshine - sunniest day of the year to date! During the morning the wind increased F4 and backed SW'ly. There was a further increase to F5 during the afternoon and to SSW'ly F6 during the evening. The visibility was mostly around 50 km.
27| Wind veering WNW and easing F4-5 overnight with wintry showers of rain and snow developing. Other than a light snow and snow pellet shower around 0800 UTC the morning was dry, with the wind becoming W'N F4. A dry afternoon with low relative humidity (46%) and the cloud becoming well broken for a time. The visibility was around 50 km. Becoming cloudy during the evening - but remaining dry - with the wind easing F3 for a time before increasing S'E F5.
28| A dry, cloudy night with the wind F5 S'E at first, but increasing and veering to be SW to W's F5-6 by dawn. Rain showers - some of them moderate - then developed, to give a showery morning. By midday the wind had increased SW to SW'W F6, with a further increase during the early afternoon with a gale reported 1420-1445 UTC and gusting to 50 kt. During the afternoon the showers changed to rain and drizzle for a time before reverting to rain showers by evening as the wind veered W then NW'ly F5 by the end of the period. The visibility was mostly around 20 km to 25 km, but fell to 6 km during the afternoon's drizzle and low stratus. Becoming mild for a time in the evening, with the temperature rising to 7.4 Celsius. 1230 UTC: Sea temperature 6.1 Celsius.
29| A dry night - apart from a few early light rain showers - with the lower cloud becoming broken by dawn and the NW'ly F5 easing F3-4. Some sunny periods developing during the late morning and early afternoon as the medium and high level cloud-sheet also became broken. By mid-afternoon a stratocumulus overcast had spread in - with light rain commencing at 1535 UTC. This became persistent and moderate at times during the evening with the visibility falling from an earlier 30 km to 3500 m. Low stratus was also extensive during the evening. In the course of the afternoon the wind backed W'ly, gradually easing to be F1 by the evening. At 2110 UTC the wind increased from 5 kt to a mean of 20 kt from a WNW'ly direction - gusting to 39 kt.
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