(WGHP) – On Feb. 2, Punxatawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter but… February in North Carolina decided to prove the groundhog wrong.
The Triad observed the second warmest February on record with a monthly mean average temperature of 50.8 degrees, just two-tenths shy of tying the record of 51 degrees.
When looking at the average for temperatures in February, we were about eight degrees warmer than normal. The normal temperature average in February is 42.8 degrees. This February we averaged 50.8 degrees.
We observed eleven 60 degree days, five 70 degree days, and one 80 degree day. This totals 17 days in February where temperatures were warmer than 60 degrees. That’s 60 percent of the month!
On Feb. 23, the Triad observed a record high temperature of 81 degrees. This is only the fifth time on record we’ve seen high temperatures in the Triad reach the 80s in February.
The record high of 81 degrees also tied the monthly record high temperature for February. The temperature has been observed three times before this year, Feb. 12, 2017, Feb. 26, 1977 and Feb. 25, 1930.
Our afternoons weren’t the only temperatures that were warmer than normal. We only observed four nights with below freezing temperatures.
On average, we see 16 nights below 32 degrees in February.
With only four nights below 32 degrees, we set a record for least number of nights below freezing in February. The previous record was five set in February 2019.
Low temperatures in February averaged seven degrees warmer than normal. On Feb. 23, not only did we set the high temperature record, but we also set a new record for warmest low at 60 degrees.
Who else saw a record warm February?
The Triad wasn’t the only place with record warmth in February. In fact, February 2023 will likely be the fourth or fifth warmest on record for several cities in the eastern Carolinas.
Wilmington and Lumberton, North Carolina as well as North Myrtle Beach and Florence, South Carolina observed mean monthly temperatures six to eight degrees above normal.
Data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center’s Perspectives tool suggests this February was more typical of the climate in San Antonio, Texas than eastern North or South Carolina.
A little over an hour east along Interstate 40, Raleigh set the record for warmest February on record. Raleigh also observed the warmest day on record in February with a high of 85 degrees on Feb. 23.
Following Interstate 40 west, Asheville saw the second warmest February on record with an average temperature of 48.8 degrees, missing the monthly record by five-tenths of a degree.
Just to our south, Charlotte also set the record for warmest February on record with an average temperature of 54 degrees for the month, breaking the previous record of 53.5 set in 2018.
In New Orleans, Louisiana, they’ve observed nine consecutive days above 80 degrees, tying the second place record for longest stretches of 80 degree or above days in February.
