A miserable February is the fifth wettest on record and contributed to it being the second wettest winter since records began in the island.

The month was not a particularly cold one but there was only half the average sunshine which means it is the dullest on record.

In the Ronaldsway Met Office round up for February, observations and climate officer Gary Salisbury explained the month was dominated by wet and windy weather.

He said: ‘Traditionally, February is the coldest and driest of the winter months, when high pressure over northern Europe can keep the Atlantic storms at bay.

‘This year, a persistent high did form, but it’s position further north diverted lows to the south of the UK, giving lots of rain for France, Spain and parts of the UK, often with strong easterly winds for us.

‘The month was particularly wet and is the fifth wettest February on record. Following a wet December and January, it makes 2025/26 the second wettest winter on record, behind 2015.

‘The three winter months have seen 53 “wet days” (defined as 1mm or more of rain measured), which is the third highest on record, behind 2015 and 2013. The total winter rainfall amount collected was 399.9mm. It’s certainly been a very wet spell.’

The mean 24-hour temperature came to 6.8°C which is a little above the long-term average, mainly because of the lack of frost while February 22 was the warmest day with 11.1°C recorded.

Unsurprisingly, sunshine was in short supply with only 31.9 hours which is half the average and the lowest February total on record. The February of 1966 was the previous dullest, at 34.1 hours.

The mean wind speed was 16.1 knots, which is above average, but it was more the direction that was the notable feature – persistent strong easterlies during the first part of the month causing some severe overtopping.