WIREDGOV

February is often regarded as a transitional month with winter beginning to loosen its grip while early hints of spring quietly emerge.

Yet the month has a long history of delivering significant and varied weather records. Using the Met Office data, this article explores February’s notable highs and lows, highlighting how temperature, rainfall, wind and snow patterns have shaped the month in recent decades.

Temperature highs: mild spells in late winter

Even in mid‑winter, the UK can experience remarkably mild days when Atlantic airflows dominate. Data from the Met Office shows several instances where February’s highest daily maximum temperatures reached the mid‑teens.

Last year, Hull East Park recorded a notably warm day at 17°C, a temperature more typical of early spring than late winter. Similar values appear elsewhere in the record: Pershore in Hereford & Worcester reached 18.1°C in 2024, and Teddington Bushy Park in Middlesex achieved the same value that year. The highest February temperature recorded in the UK was 21.2°C at Kew Gardens in 2019.

These events are consistent with broader observations that the UK is seeing more frequent winter warm spells, often associated with persistent south or south‑westerly flows.

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