High Heaton Weather and Air Quality – February 2026

February 2026 was a month of two halves in terms of both temperature and rainfall. The first half was very wet, with rain falling every day until the 17^th, following a wet end to January – rain fell on 27 consecutive days going back to January 17^th!  The wettest day was Wednesday 11^th when 22mm was recorded, part of a 70-hour period when it rained almost continuously with 45mm falling, so it’s not surprising that by this time the ground was saturated. The last twelve days of the month were relatively dry, but this was the wettest February that I have recorded during the last 35 years: total rainfall was 102mm (4”), compared to the monthly average of 45mm. The previous wettest February was 101mm in 2021.  As well as being wet, the first part of the month was very dull, and it was not until Friday 20^th that the sun made more than a fleeting appearance. The temperature did not reach double figures during this period, and there was usually a fresh easterly wind, which contributed to the general perception that the weather was exceptionally miserable! The last week of February was much milder, and the month’s maximum temperature of 13.9°C occurred at 11.15am on Wednesday 25^th. There was an air frost on only two nights, with the month’s minimum temperature of -2.4°C being recorded at 8am on Saturday 14^th. Overall February was milder than usual - the month’s mean temperature was 5.8°C compared to an average of 5°C over the last 35 years.  There were no named storms this month, but nevertheless Thursday 26^th was very windy with a maximum gust of 45mph in the early afternoon. This was the strongest gust since storm Éowyn in January 2025.  We have now reached the end of the three months of meteorological winter. It can be described as generally wet and mild, ranking as the fourth wettest and seventh warmest of the last 35 years. Total rainfall was 229mm which is 46% more than average, and the mean temperature was 5.4°C compared to the average for the season of 4.6°C. There was only one really wintry period. This was in the first week of January during which snow fell and lay to a depth of 3cm. The winter’s minimum temperature of -3.6°C was recorded during that period.               

John Telfer