HURRY SPRING: This winter is shaping up to be one of the coldest ever (STATISTICS)

The last two months have been the coldest in at least 14 years, according to figures from Eglin Air Force Base.

According to Eglin’s 46th Weather Squadron, the mean temperature for both January and February 2010 was 45 degrees. That makes them the coldest two months since at least 1996. The second coldest mean temperature for a month was 47 degrees in January 2003.

The high temperature also has not reached 70 degrees thus far in 2010, according to Eglin records. That is the first time that has happened in January and February since 1996.

Yvonne Franklin, who coordinates the Cold Night Shelter program in Fort Walton Beach, said participating churches have opened their doors more nights to more people this winter than since the program began eight years ago.

“Our numbers have really increased this year,” Franklin said. “We’ll be surpassing every Cold Night program since we started.”

The seven churches that participate in the program open their doors when the weather dips below 40 degrees at night. The churches have opened 50 times so far this winter to an average of about 80 people, Franklin said.

Shelters normally have attracted about 30 people a night in the past, Franklin said. The most times they opened during a winter prior to this one was 48.

In Santa Rosa County, cold weather shelters were opened 18 times last winter, said Joy Tsubooka, the county’s public information officer. They have been opened 52 times so far this season.

The weather also has made for a chilly start for spring sports programs. Ron Crawford, athletic director for Liza Jackson Preparatory School, said several practices and physical education classes have been cut short or canceled because of the weather.

“It’s just so cold,” Crawford said. “This is the worst it’s ever been since I can remember. It just seems like it won’t go away.”

Crawford’s memory was pretty accurate, according to figures from the National Weather Service in Mobile, Ala.

January and February were the coldest on record in Destin and Fort Walton Beach, according to the Weather Service. Temperatures averaged 47.3 degrees in January and 47.5 degrees in February.

In Crestview, January was the fifth coldest since 1948, with an average temperature of 44.7 degrees, according to Weather Service figures. February was the coldest on record since 1948, with an average of 43.8 degrees.

Warmer days are coming, they just might take awhile to arrive, said Weather Service meteorologist Kirk Caceras.

“We’ll continue to see lower temperatures, but they’ll begin to slowly creep up,” Caceras said. “This is a wet year, but the coldest part is behind us.”

Caceras said temperatures normally average about 70 degrees in March, but have averaged in the 50s and low 60s so far this month.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “Spring will get here. It’s just taking a little longer than usual.”