TAMPA, Fla. — The warm and dry start to 2020 continued into February. Despite the extra cold February 29, we still averaged above normal. The middle of the month had a stretch of 5 to 10 degrees above normal weather that despite the 10 to 15 degrees below normal weather on the last 3 days, caused February to end 3 to 4 degrees above 30 year normals. It was also mainly dry as February usually is, with only a couple of rain events. Most areas were about an inch below normal in the rainfall department.

Here is a look at the numbers:

Tampa

  • Average Temperature 66.7 (3.3 degrees above normal)
  • Rainfall 1.83” (0.98 inches below normal)

Lakeland

  • Average Temperature 66.5 (3.2 degrees above normal)
  • Rainfall 1.29” (1.71 inches below normal)

Bradenton

  • Average Temperature 67.3 (3.9 degrees above normal)
  • Rainfall 1.87” (0.83 inches below normal)

Brooksville

  • Average Temperature 64.3 (4.0 degrees above normal)
  • Rainfall 2.43” (0.94 inches below normal)

Clearwater

  • Average Temperature 67.8 (3.7 degrees above normal)
  • Rainfall 2.25” (0.78 inches below normal)

St. Petersburg

  • Average Temperature 67.5 (3.4 degrees above normal)
  • Rainfall 1.48” (1.24 inches below normal)

Looking ahead to March, this is the month where warming can really take place. We go from an average high and low on the 1st of 74 and 56 to 78 and 60 on the 31st. March is also usually pretty dry, but a late season cold front can still provide us with some decent rains. Plus, in years past, we have even had a few late month summer preview sea breeze storms to add to the totals. That is rather uncommon however. But, the typical March yields between 3 and 4 inches of rain. This March, we will begin with a little warming trend but another decent cold front is on the way for later in the first week with a rain chance and then cooler weather.