Weather: Where was winter?

During our past month (winter?), there was never a measurable amount of snow. A trace of those white flakes fell on two days. A measurable amount of rain fell on eight days. The heaviest rain during February was 0.41 of an inch on the 25th. Total precipitation for February was 1.38 inches.

This is far from the average amount, which is usually close to 3 inches in rain.

The warmest day was 58 degrees on the first. It was in the 50s on six days during February.

The coldest day of the past month was February 12, when the temperature in Bridgehampton dropped to 16 degrees. It was below 20 degrees on only three nights during the entire month. There were 12 clear, nine partly cloudy and eight cloudy days during February. There was only one day with strong winds and that was on February 25 with winds recorded reaching 40 mph.

As we close out the weather data for this February, I can say it has been the mildest February I have ever recorded since I started as a U.S. Cooperative Weather Observer in 1930.

Today, we speak of “global warming.” Is this just one freak year? Or are we in the trend of 20 or more years in this warming pattern? Time will tell. Care must be taken with any future construction due to the threat of major storms. That includes where we build and the type of structures.

Summer temperatures will reach 100 degrees more often; maximum temperatures that we have never had.

With this rise in temperature, there will be greater rainfall, higher wind velocity and higher tides in both bays and ocean. Nature is the boss and we must learn from history and prepare for our future. Remember we live in and by one of the greatest oceans in the world.