By Philip Eden

The last day of February was thoroughly miserable over much of the UK with overcast skies, driving rain, and a blustery wind, but this was out of character for the rest of the month which was remarkably sunny and dry.

Most of February's rain fell during the first ten days and on the 28th, and several places in both England and Scotland had no measurable rain from the 11th to the 27th inclusive. Averaged over England and Wales, the month's rainfall was 39mm which is 42 per cent below the mean for the standard reference period 1971-2000. During the last 100 years, 75 Februarys were wetter and only 25 drier - most recently in 1998. The equivalent figures for Scotland's main population centres were 28mm and 48 per cent below, and for Northern Ireland 39mm and 33 per cent below.

Isolated spots along the west coast collected slightly more rain than usual, and Portree on the Isle of Skye was wettest with 145mm, an excess of 28 per cent. By contrast, several places in eastern Scotland and eastern England recorded less than 15mm, and at Stonehaven, south of Aberdeen, the month's total was a mere 7.5mm.

Sunshine was above the February average everywhere in the UK except on the Isle of Lewis and locally in south Devon, while Hunstanton in Norfolk topped the league with a total of 133 hours. The England and Wales figure of 100 hours exceeded the long-term average by 43 per cent, and there have been only five sunnier Februarys since sunshine recording began in the UK some 125 years ago. The most recent of these, 2000, benefited from a 29th day; the monthly aggregate was slightly higher than last month but the daily average was fractionally lower.

Mean monthly temperature during February 2003 was close to the average, and during the last 100 years there were 49 colder Februarys, 47 warmer, and four with the same monthly temperature. The Central England Temperature of 4.1°C was 0.1°C below the mean for 1971-2000. Broadly speaking, the first and third weeks were cold, while the second and fourth weeks were mild. The month's highest reading, 15.7°C in central London on the 26th was the highest in February anywhere in the UK since 1998.

Philip Eden's new book, The Daily Telegraph Book of the Weather, published by Continuum, is available for £16.99 (post free in the UK). To order please call Telegraph Books Direct on 0870 155 7222 or visit the amazon.co.uk website.

(c) Philip Eden