February outlook

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that most of you reading this will be doing so ahead of a VERY warm weekend. My guess is that by Sunday, we will have to pinch ourselves as a reminder that it is February (or maybe you are pinching yourselves because the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl). We aren't supposed to be getting highs around 70 in early February, but I doubt anybody will be all that upset about it. It does mean one less day in the winter season with gloomy skies and bitter cold. That comes next week.

Record Watch:
First, let's look again at the record watch that is on for Sunday. Highs reaching 70 puts us more than 20° above normal.

The month is NOT going to stay that way however. February looks cold to say the least. Just take a look at the following maps and you'll see exactly what we are sorting through. Much of the data suggests colder than normal weather. The coldest temperatures may come in the first half of the month.

Temperatures in the first week of February will be colder than normal: A strong front will come through Monday and much of the week looks VERY chilly. And we will get some snow coming across the Plains too by Monday night/Tuesday. Shouldn't be all that heavy, and given our much colder air, it's likely to be a drier snowfall.

Moving toward mid-February: Computer models are aggressive on the cold air. I think we will still be below normal (which is mid 40s), but maybe not quite AS cold as what is shown below. Bottom line - don't expect early spring in February this year.

Late February: still pretty chilly, but temperatures should be on their way up later in the month.

Precipitation:

Tough call here, but for now the first half of February looks drier than what we've had in January. Something may spring up later in February, but for now I don't see any hard evidence that February is going to be that wet/snowy around the Plains.