Kentucky Summary - February 2006


KENTUCKY: After a very mild January, February 2006 weather was back to reality with several weekends of very cold weather, several weeks with above normal temperatures during the workweek and all but one Saturday with snowfall. Except for the first week of February, which received above normal temperatures, most weeks' average temperatures were below normal. Yet, daily high temperatures soared into the 60s and low 70s several times throughout the month. Extreme high temperatures were in the low 70s and extreme low temperatures were in the single digits. For the entire State, only 63% of normal precipitation (liquid equiv.)was received.

Temperatures for February 2006 averaged 35.6 degrees across the State which was 1.6 degree below normal. High temperatures averaged from 47 in the West to 46 in the East. Departure from normal high temperatures ranged from 4 degrees below normal in the West to 2 degrees above normal in the East. Low temperatures averaged from 28 degrees in the West to 29 degrees in the East. Departure from normal low temperatures ranged from 1 degree above normal in the West to 2 degrees above normal in the East.

Precipitation (liquid equiv.) for the period totaled 2.36 in. statewide, 1.38 in. below normal. Precipitation totals by climate division, West 2.84 in., Central 2.92 in., Bluegrass 1.83 in. and East 1.96 in., which was 1.20, 1.20, 1.60 and 1.51 in. respectively below normal. Precipitation totals ranged from a low of 0.80 in. at Cape Girardeau to a high of 2.70 in. at Nashville. Snowfall totals ranged from Paducah 7.3, Louisville 3.1, Bowling Green 8.3, Lexington 8.1, and Jackson 9.4 in.

Below normal temperatures with wide swings in temperature extremes caused some livestock stress but most herds were in good condition. Below normal precipitation improved the muddy pasture condition and allowed farmers to complete routine chores. Drier condition at months end had producers thinking about preparing fields for corn planting in southern portions of the State. Producers continued to take grains and tobacco to market. Farmers attended the many winter commodity meetings and the National Farm Machinery Show.