Author: Eric Gilbert

As reported in the media it has been the wettest winter since official records began in 1910. In Marlborough the total has reached 500.2mm, which surpasses the previous record of 434mm in 1989. Two years later, in 1991, we experienced three very dry winter months which produced the lowest ever rainfall of 94mm.

With a maximum of 11.0 C. on the 18th it was the warmest day in February and also the warmest night with a minimum of 6.2C due to the light southerly winds.
Still only one dry day this month which was the 2nd. Maximum days of precipitation were the 5th with 28.9mm and the 14th with 23.6mm.

A new thermometer was installed earlier this year to measure the soil temperature at a depth of 5cm, which might be of use and interest to gardeners and growers as the new sowing season approaches.

5.8 hours of Bright Sunshine today and a peak Ultra Violet Radiation figure of 1.4 were the highest values for three months. It was a dry day, only the seventh since the turn of the year.

During daylight hours another 18.6mm of rainfall was recorded and gusts to 47mph at 1516 hours. This month the total rainfall is 105mm which is 167% of the 30-year average and it is only half way through the month. The rainfall total for the winter is now a massive 481mm.
Whilst the storm was raging the air temperature rose from a low 1.9C in the early morning to 10.3C at dusk.