Monthly mean maps for precipitation and temperature (observed and anomaly) with a summary of the monthly meteorological situation


This analysis is based on observational data of precipitation and temperature. For a monthly analysis based on ERA5 reanalysis, please see the Climate bulletins produced by Copernicus Climate Change Service

Meteorological situation for February 2020

Figure 1. Accumulated precipitation [mm] for February 2020.
Figure 1. Accumulated precipitation [mm] for February 2020.
Figure 2. Precipitation anomaly [%] for February 2020, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes wetter (drier) conditions than normal.
Figure 2. Precipitation anomaly [%] for February 2020, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes wetter (drier) conditions than normal.
Figure 3. Mean temperature [°C] for February 2020.
Figure 3. Mean temperature [°C] for February 2020.
Figure 4. Temperature anomaly [°C] for February 2020, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes colder (warmer) temperatures than normal.
Figure 4. Temperature anomaly [°C] for February 2020, relative to a long-term average (1990-2013). Blue (red) denotes colder (warmer) temperatures than normal.

The meteorological situation in February 2020 was characterised by higher than normal monthly mean surface pressure in the western Mediterranean region and lower than normal mean surface pressure elsewhere in the EFAS domain. Monthly precipitation totals reflect this pressure anomaly pattern with above long-term mean precipitation totals in the region with lower than normal surface pressure and vice versa. Monthly mean air temperatures were below the long-term mean in Iceland, Ireland and Scotland and also southeast Turkey and northern Syria and above long-term means elsewhere in the EFAS domain.

 

At the beginning of February 2020, a high-pressure system was located over the Strait of Gibraltar and a low-pressure system over the Norwegian Sea with a secondary core over the north of Great Britain and Ireland and another low-pressure system over western Russia. The secondary core weakened as the low-pressure system moved via Scandinavia towards Russia. The high-pressure system started to move northward and extended to Great Britain and Ireland. During the same days, a low-pressure system moved from the Atlantic to the Baltic Sea before the high-pressure system reached Great Britain and Ireland. A trough developed on the southern flank and become a new low-pressure system moving via southeast Europe to the eastern Mediterranean region and brought high precipitation totals along its track. Another low-pressure system developed over Svalbard and moved via Russia to Kazakhstan. The above-mentioned high-pressure system moved eastward and a low-pressure system experienced a strong intensification between Greenland and Iceland. It moved via the Norwegian Sea to northern Scandinavia and brought strong winds to the European parts of the EFAS domain and heavy precipitation especially in Great Britain and Ireland as well as in western Norway. This was the first of a number of low-pressure systems moving in the following three weeks until the end of February at similar tracks and causing intense precipitation and strong winds along their tracks. From two of these low-pressure systems, troughs extended towards the eastern Mediterranean region and brought intense precipitation there as well as on the western Balkans. Only a very limited number of fronts with precipitation extended to the Iberian Peninsula from these systems against the stable Azores high-pressure system, with the highest precipitation totals in the northwest.

 

In February 2020, the highest precipitation totals were observed in Great Britain and Ireland and along the western Norwegian coast (Figure 1). High precipitation totals were also observed at the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the northern coast of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. According to a report from MetOffice (national meteorological service for UK), February 2020 was the wettest February on record since 1862 in the UK. On the other hand, AEMET (national meteorological service for Spain) reported that this month was the driest on record since 1965 in Spain. In addition, other regions in Italy, east of the Caspian Sea, west of the Red Sea and in northwest Africa received also no or nearly no precipitation. More than normal precipitation was observed in most parts of the EFAS domain (Figure 2), whereas less than normal precipitation fell in Iceland, from the western Mediterranean region eastward to the Balkans and from the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the Caspian Sea.

 

The monthly mean air temperature ranged from -18.8°C to 21°C with the highest values in the southern parts and lowest in the northern and mountainous parts of the EFAS domain (Figure 3). Air temperature anomalies ranged from -3.8°C to 10.5°C (Figure 4). Monthly mean air temperature values were above the long-term mean in nearly all regions of the EFAS domain and only in Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, southeast Turkey and northern Syria below the long-term means.