February 2026 brought notably cooler and drier conditions to Friesland compared to historical averages. The month was characterized by below-normal temperatures and significantly reduced rainfall, though sunshine hours slightly exceeded the seasonal norm.
Temperature Overview
The average temperature for February in Friesland reached 3.5 degrees Celsius, falling 1.5 degrees below the normal value of 5.0 degrees. This cooler-than-average pattern persisted throughout much of the month. The coldest conditions occurred on February 3rd in Achtkarspelen, where temperatures plummeted to minus 6.3 degrees Celsius. In contrast, the warmest day of the month arrived late in the period on February 25th, when Leeuwarden recorded a maximum of 15.6 degrees Celsius, providing a brief respite from the prevailing cold.
Precipitation Patterns
February proved to be considerably drier than normal across Friesland. The province received an average of 58.4 millimeters of precipitation, representing a 28 percent decrease from the normal monthly total of 81.1 millimeters. Despite the overall dry trend, the wettest day occurred on February 22nd in Achtkarspelen, which recorded 13.9 millimeters of rainfall. Achtkarspelen also emerged as the wettest location for the month, accumulating 66.3 millimeters in total.
Sunshine and Notable Observations
Sunshine hours totaled 119.6 hours during February, slightly exceeding the normal value of 116.7 hours by approximately 2 percent. This modest surplus of sunshine helped offset some of the effects of the cooler temperatures. The combination of below-average temperatures, reduced precipitation, and near-normal sunshine hours created a relatively dry and cold February for the province, with Achtkarspelen consistently recording the most extreme conditions throughout the month.