000
CXUS53 KICT 011958
CLMICT

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
134 PM CST FRI MAR 1 2013

...................................

...THE WICHITA MID CONTINENT KS CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2013...

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1981 TO 2010
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1888 TO 2013

WEATHER         OBSERVED          NORMAL  DEPART  LAST YEAR`S
                 VALUE   DATE(S)  VALUE   FROM    VALUE  DATE(S)
                                          NORMAL
................................................................
TEMPERATURE (F)
RECORD
 HIGH              87   02/22/1996
 LOW              -22   02/12/1899
HIGHEST            69   02/17                         74  02/22
LOWEST              3   02/23                         12  02/11
AVG. MAXIMUM     47.2              48.2    -1.0     51.4
AVG. MINIMUM     24.2              26.1    -1.9     29.5
MEAN             35.7              37.2    -1.5     40.5
DAYS MAX >= 90      0               0.0     0.0        0
DAYS MAX <= 32      3               3.6    -0.6        2
DAYS MIN <= 32     24              19.9     4.1       19
DAYS MIN <= 0       0               0.5    -0.5        0

PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
RECORD
 MAXIMUM         4.61   1915
 MINIMUM         0.00   2006
                        1930
                        1923
TOTALS           2.45              1.18    1.27     3.57
DAILY AVG.       0.09              0.04    0.05     0.12
DAYS >= .01         8               5.4     2.6        9
DAYS >= .10         5               3.0     2.0        5
DAYS >= .50         2               0.7     1.3        1
DAYS >= 1.00        0               0.1    -0.1        1
GREATEST
 24 HR. TOTAL    1.24   02/20 TO 02/21

SNOWFALL (INCHES)
RECORDS
 TOTAL           20.5   1913
TOTALS           21.2R              3.2    18.0      2.2
SINCE 7/1        24.5              12.4    12.1      2.6
SNOWDEPTH AVG.      3                MM      MM        0
DAYS >= 1.0         4               1.0     3.0        1
GREATEST
 SNOW DEPTH        14R  02/21                          2  02/13
 24 HR TOTAL      8.0   02/21 TO 02/21               1.0

DEGREE_DAYS
HEATING TOTAL     816               780      36      707
 SINCE 7/1       3271              3640    -369     3223
COOLING TOTAL       0                 0       0        0
 SINCE 1/1          0                 0       0        0
.................................................................

WIND (MPH)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED              11.5
HIGHEST WIND SPEED/DIRECTION    41/350    DATE  02/18
HIGHEST GUST SPEED/DIRECTION    53/340    DATE  02/18

SKY COVER
POSSIBLE SUNSHINE (PERCENT)   MM
AVERAGE SKY COVER           0.50
NUMBER OF DAYS FAIR            9
NUMBER OF DAYS PC             13
NUMBER OF DAYS CLOUDY          6

AVERAGE RH (PERCENT)     67

WEATHER CONDITIONS. NUMBER OF DAYS WITH
THUNDERSTORM              0     MIXED PRECIP               0
HEAVY RAIN                0     RAIN                       2
LIGHT RAIN                5     FREEZING RAIN              0
LT FREEZING RAIN          1     HAIL                       0
HEAVY SNOW                3     SNOW                       4
LIGHT SNOW                5     SLEET                      2
FOG                      15     FOG W/VIS <= 1/4 MILE      4
HAZE                     11

-  INDICATES NEGATIVE NUMBERS.
R  INDICATES RECORD WAS SET OR TIED.
MM INDICATES DATA IS MISSING.
T  INDICATES TRACE AMOUNT.

$$

...FEBRUARY CLOSES WITH A FURIOUS `FLURRY` OF ACTIVITY AS OLD MAN
WINTER PULLS A COUPLE OF MAJOR `SNOW JOBS` ON KANSAS...

WINTER 2012-2013 HAD BEEN RATHER QUIET FOR CENTRAL...SOUTH-CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS....THAT IS...UNTIL FEBRUARY 20TH...WHEN OLD MAN
WINTER WAS SUDDENLY IN THE MOOD FOR SOME FUN AND GAMES.

THAT MORNING...THE FIRST OF TWO MAJOR `SNOW JOBS` BEGAN...AS AN
INTENSE CYCLONE VENTURED EAST OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SOUTH-CENTRAL
KANSAS WAS THE FIRST TO GET SNOWED UPON WITH 2-4 INCH ACCUMULATIONS
PRIMARILY OVER SEDGWICK...SUMNER...HARPER AND KINGMAN COUNTIES. BY
LATE THAT AFTERNOON THE SNOW HAD SPREAD ALMOST DUE NORTH PRIMARILY
ALONG AND WEST OF I-135 WHERE ACCUMULATIONS HAD REACHED 5 INCHES IN
SEVERAL LOCATIONS.

THAT EVENING AND NIGHT...THE SNOW INTENSIFIED...SO MUCH IN
FACT...THAT A FEW THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED. BY THE MORNING OF THE
21ST...MOST OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS WERE BURIED UNDER
6-12 INCHES WITH LOCALIZED 13 INCH ACCUMULATIONS IN WEST WICHITA AND
CLEARWATER. BY NOW IT WAS TIME TO GET OUT THE RECORD BOOKS.

THE MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. BY
NIGHTFALL 12 TO 15 INCH ACCUMULATIONS HAD OVERWHELMED NEARLY ALL OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. ONE EXCEPTION WAS EXTREME
SOUTHWEST KINGMAN COUNTY WHERE NASHVILLE AND ZENDA WERE `SNOWED
UNDER` BY 18 AND 17 INCHES RESPECTIVELY.

TRAVEL ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS WAS OBVIOUSLY
TREACHEROUS WITH NUMEROUS VEHICLES GETTING STUCK. EVEN EMERGENCY
RESPONSE TEAMS WERE STUCK WHILE RESPONDING TO CALLS.

ON THE MORNING OF THE 21ST THE WINTER STORM SPREAD INTO SOUTHEAST
KANSAS WHERE A MIXTURE OF SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW BEGAN TO
WREAK HAVOC. FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET PRODUCED UP TO 1/2 INCH OF
GLAZE IN CHANUTE WITH SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 7 INCHES COMMON BY
MID-AFTERNOON.

THE 14.2 INCHES MEASURED AT MID-CONTINENT AIRPORT MADE THE FEBRUARY
20TH AND 21ST SNOWSTORM THE 2ND GREATEST IN WICHITA`S HISTORY.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE WORST SNOWSTORMS EVER TO HIT WICHITA:

1ST: 15.0 INCHES ON JANUARY 17TH-18TH 1962.
(3.0 INCHES ON THE 17TH; 12.0 INCHES ON THE 18TH.)

2ND: 14.2 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 20TH-21ST 2013.*
(6.2 INCHES ON THE 20TH; 8.0 INCHES ON THE 21ST.)

3RD: 13.6 INCHES ON MARCH 15TH-16TH 1970.
(1.8 INCHES ON THE 15TH; 11.8 INCHES ON THE 16TH.)

4TH: 12.8 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 21ST-22ND 1971. *TIED*
(11.6 INCHES ON THE 21ST; 1.2 INCHES ON THE 22ND.)

4TH: 12.8 INCHES ON DECEMBER 23RD-24TH 1918. *TIED*
(10.0 INCHES ON THE 23RD; 2.8 INCHES ON THE 24TH.)

5TH: 12.0 INCHES ON MARCH 9TH 1909.

THE 12.0 INCHES MEASURED ON MARCH 9TH 1909 AND JANUARY 18TH 1962 ARE
THE HIGHEST CALENDAR DAY TOTALS IN WICHITA`S CLIMATE RECORD.

THE 6.2 INCHES MEASURED ON THE 20TH SET A RECORD FOR THE
DATE...BREAKING THE MARK OF 5.2 INCHES MEASURED WAY BACK IN
1912...101 YEARS AGO.

THE 8.0 INCHES MEASURED ON THE 21ST IS THE SECOND GREATEST SNOWFALL
FOR THE DATE. THE SNOWFALL RECORD FOR FEBRUARY 21ST IS 11.6 INCHES
SET IN 1971...WHICH IS THE 4TH GREATEST CALENDAR DAY TOTAL ON RECORD.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF ALL DATES ON WHICH WICHITA MEASURED 10
INCHES OR MORE SNOW:

1ST: 12.0 INCHES ON JANUARY 18TH 1962.
1ST: 12.0 INCHES ON MARCH 9TH 1909. *TIED*
3RD: 11.8 INCHES ON MARCH 16TH 1970.
4TH: 11.6 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 21ST 1971.
5TH: 11.3 INCHES ON MARCH 19TH 1998.
6TH: 10.2 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 23RD, 2003.
7TH: 10.0 INCHES ON DECEMBER 23RD, 1918.

THE 2ND SNOWSTORM STRUCK ON THE 25TH AND CONTINUED UNTIL THE MORNING
OF THE 27TH. ALTHOUGH THE SNOWFALLS WEREN`T QUITE AS IMPRESSIVE AS
THOSE OF THE 20TH-21ST...NORTH WINDS THAT WHISTLED TO TUNES OF 30 TO
40 MPH PRODUCED A NASTY SITUATION WITH SEVERE VISIBILITY
RESTRICTIONS.

ACCUMULATIONS FROM THE SNOWSTORM OF THE 25TH-27TH RANGED FROM 10 TO
14 INCHES ACROSS KINGMAN AND HARPER COUNTIES...TO 1 TO 2 INCHES FOR
PORTIONS OF THE FLINT HILLS...SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND CENTRAL KANSAS.
MANY OTHER LOCATIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN 3 AND 6 INCHES. WICHITA
MEASURED AN EVEN 6.8 INCHES DURING THIS EVENT...HOWEVER THE STRONG
NORTH WINDS CAUSED SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING. SEVERAL ROADS
AND HIGHWAYS...ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE EAST/WEST ORIENTED...WERE
CLOSED. NORTHERLY 25 TO 35 MPH WINDS PERSISTED ON THE 27TH. THE
DRIFTING THAT RESULTED CLOSED SEGMENTS OF SOME COUNTY ROADS IN
HARPER...KINGMAN AND RENO COUNTIES THAT HAD BEEN CLEARED THE
PREVIOUS DAY.

THE 21.2 INCHES OF SNOW MEASURED AT MID-CONTINENT AIRPORT MADE
FEBRUARY 2013 THE SNOWIEST MONTH IN WICHITA`S CLIMATE
HISTORY...EDGING THE 20.5 INCH TOTAL MEASURED EXACTLY 100 YEARS
EARLIER IN 1913.

THE SNOWSTORMS OF THE 20TH-21ST AND THE 25TH-27TH ENABLED THE WINTER
OF 2012-2013 TO BECOME WICHITA`S 5TH SNOWIEST ON RECORD WITH 24.5
INCHES.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE SNOWIEST DECEMBER-FEBRUARY PERIODS IN
WICHITA`S HISTORY:

1ST:  27.0 INCHES IN 1913.
2ND:  26.1 INCHES IN 1987.
3RD:  25.7 INCHES IN 2003.
4TH:  25.0 INCHES IN 1975.
5TH:  24.5 INCHES IN 2013.*
6TH:  23.4 INCHES IN 1962.
7TH:  23.3 INCHES IN 1983.
8TH:  22.9 INCHES IN 1940.
9TH:  22.7 INCHES IN 1949.
10TH: 22.6 INCHES IN 1960.

UNFORTUNATELY...NEITHER THE SALINA NOR THE CHANUTE AUTOMATIC SURFACE
OBSERVING SYSTEMS (ASOS) RECORD SNOWFALL. HOWEVER...DETAILED
SNOWFALL STATISTICS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING SITES:

IN CENTRAL KANSAS:
MCPHERSON
LINCOLN

IN SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS:
WICHITA
WINFIELD

IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS:
INDEPENDENCE
IOLA

THE STATISTICS MAY ACCESSED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS: (LOWER
CASE)

HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/ICT/?N=WINTERSTUDY

THE 2.45 INCHES OF WATER EQUIVALENT MEASURED AT MID-CONTINENT
AIRPORT WAS 0.05 INCH SHORT OF REACHING THE TOP-10 WETTEST
FEBRUARIES ON RECORD. THE EPIC SNOWSTORM OF THE 20TH-21ST WAS BY FAR
THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTOR WITH 0.53 INCH AND 0.95 INCH ON THE 20TH
AND 21ST RESPECTIVELY. THE 0.95 INCH ON THE 21ST WAS JUST 0.03 INCH
SHY OF TYING THE MARK OF 0.98 INCH SET FOR THE DATE IN 1971...WHEN
WHAT IS NOW THE 4TH GREATEST SNOW STORM RAGED IN THE AIR CAPITAL.

ON THE 7TH...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED HEAVY RAINS
IN CENTRAL KANSAS. THE 1.14 INCHES MEASURED IN SALINA SET A RECORD
FOR THE 7TH...INUNDATING THE 0.72 INCH TOTAL RECORDED IN 1980.

SINCE DECEMBER 1ST TO FEBRUARY 28TH IS CONSIDERED METEOROLOGICAL
WINTER THE 2012-2013 EDITION IS IN THE BOOKS.

AS ALL BASKETBALL FANS KNOW...NCAA`S "MARCH MADNESS" IS JUST AROUND
THE CORNER...BUT THERE`S ANOTHER BRAND OF MARCH MADNESS. THIS ONE IS
IN THE ATMOSPHERIC REALM. THAT METEOROLOGICAL "MARCH MADNESS" CAN
COVER THE FULL SPECTRUM OF KANSAS WEATHER...FROM ICE STORMS TO
VIOLENT TORNADOES. SINCE MARCH CAN BE A VOLATILE MONTH...WE
ENCOURAGE YOU TO MONITOR ALL OF OUR FORECASTS CLOSELY AND TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOUR AREA.

$$

EPS