Health & Fitness
February Much Drier Than Expected—With Rain Half the Historical Mean
Partly to blame for the drier winter thus far is that the few winter storms we've seen in the region have been drier and colder.
Even with 29 days, February 2012 was the driest on record for La Mesa dating back to 2007, according to Station Pabloco records. In much wider climatological consideration against local records dating back to 1899, precipitation in La Mesa for the past month was less than half of the historical expected mean: 1.20 vs. 2.42 inches.
In February 2011, La Mesa received 2.98 inches, which helped push its annual sum (July 1 to June 30) to an impressive and above-average 16.63 inches. Thus far to date for 2012 (as of end of February), we’re well below that: 5.42 inches. Hence, if you and your yards are feeling a little parched, it’s not because your sprinkler system is turned off.
Partly to blame for the drier winter thus far is that the few winter storms we’ve seen in the region have been drier and colder, and the Jet Stream that guides these storms has been noticeably anchored further north. Is it possible that "the perfect storm" is no storm at all? If you need the rain, as we do, then no!
Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Conditions otherwise were unremarkably variant from historical norms except for a few daytime highs early in the month.
RECORDED EXTREME VARIABLES FOR FEBRUARY 2012
Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
VARIABLE
HIGH
LOW
Temperature (°F)
79.4 (09-Feb)
40.0 (29-Feb)
Average Temperature for February (°F)
68.1
45.1
Humidity (%)
98 (24-Feb)
15 (03-Feb)
Pressure (in. Hg)
30.261 (29-Feb)
29.751 (23-Feb)
Monthly Precipitation (in.)
1.20
YTD Precipitation (in.) since 01-Jul-11
5.42
Monthy Evapotranspiration (in.)
3.064
High Wind Gust (mph and direction)
28 West (28-Feb)
High Solar Radiation (W/m2)
1063 (19-Feb)
High UV Index
7.6 (24-Feb)
A few geophysical dates to remember for March:
- Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins at 2 a.m. March 11. Clocks advance 1 hour.
- Spring (vernal equinox) arrives at 1:14 a.m. EDT March 20 (10:14 p.m. PDT March 19).
To monitor real-time local conditions (updated every 10 minutes), visit Station Pabloco. For a projection of daily conditions over the next 7 days, visit the La Mesa forecast page of the National Weather Service.
