February was exceptionally mild, had average sunshine hours and despite average rainfall totals there were fewer dry days.

February 2022 was an unsettled month due to Atlantic low pressure systems sweeping east and bringing weather fronts across the UK. Despite this, pressure was a little above the long term average for SW England. Most of the low pressure centres were well to the north but on the 13th a low pressure centre moved northeast past Cornwall and over Wales and this produced the wettest day of the month. February was often rather windy especially so when a series of three named storms crossed the UK. On the 16th, storm Dudley moved across the south of Scotland and brought wind gusts of around 50 mph across the district. Storm Eunice on the 18th was an explosive deepening wave depression and the subject of Met Office Amber and the rarer Red Warnings for wind across SW England. This was the first use of a Red Warning in the SW of England. During the storm, wind gusts of around 70mph occurred across the district resulting in some temporary power loss and a number of downed trees. This was followed on the 21st by storm Franklin which produced gusts of around 60mph in exposed parts of the district, although the main focus of the storm was further north. Winds were mostly from a westerly point which helped keep temperatures much milder than average, although winds did turn southerly during the last few days of the month as high pressure formed to the east. Westerly winds are often associated with cloudier skies and rain so it comes as no surprise that there were fewer dry days than average although rainfall totals were near average as was the amount of sunshine.

In terms of statistics (30 year averages 1981 to 2010):

Rainfall totals across the district were around 70mm in Dawlish and Teignmouth, 90mm in Netherton but were as low as 50mm in some parts. These totals were about average for February but there were fewer dry days than normal (11 compared to 13). There were around 12 days (average 10 days) when 1mm or more of rain was recorded. The wettest day with around 16mm of rain recorded was on the 13th.

The temperature for the month averaged out between 8 and 9 Celsius which is about two degrees above the long term average. The mildest day, with a value of almost 15 Celsius was on the 16th, and the coldest morning was the 11th when minimum temperatures ranged from minus 3 Celsius in Netherton to plus 2 Celsius near the coast. Typically there are 4 night air frosts in February but on this occasion many coastal areas did not have an air frost. Away from the coast there was at least one night with a frost and some colder valleys, for example Netherton, had 9 air frosts.

The sea temperature at the Dawlish Wave Buoy remained between 9 and 10 Celsius during the month.

Sunshine, estimated at around 80 hours was close to the average value.

In summary, compared to the 1981 to 2010 average, February 2022 was windy but despite average rainfall there were fewer dry days. Temperatures were well above average and there were fewer frosts.

Finally, the Winter of 21/22 had well above average temperatures, below average rain and below average sunshine. There was no lying snow.