Sunshine State Stats, February 2018
February 2018 was much warmer than February 2017. In fact, per the Orlando Sentinel, Central Florida broke the record for the warmest February in history. Temperatures started out near normal in early February. Beyond that, well-above-normal temperatures generally persisted over the region for the remainder of the month as a strong ridge of high pressure locked in place over the Sunshine State.
Per the Leesburg Airport weather station, their average temperature for February of 2018 was 71°, while February of 2017 had an average temperature of 67°. The average high was a balmy 81°.
February was not only much hotter than normal – it was also drier than normal. Rainfall for February of 2018 was 0.49 inches compared to last February at 1.55 inches.
There were 193 cooling degree days and 11 heating degree days for February 2018, while last year there were 84 cooling degree days with 32 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.
March 2018 is forecast to be similar but heavier rainfall than normal as compared to 2017. Since spring begins in March, it would be a good time to have your HVAC system serviced to be ready for a Sunshine State summer.
If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.
To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.