NATIONAL WEATHER SUMMARY

FEBRUARY 2023

5-11: Much of the country received little or no precipitation. For example, the nation’s mid-section was generally dry, except across the southeastern Plains. In the East, mostly dry areas were limited to southern Florida and an area stretching from the central Appalachians into the mid-Atlantic and southern New England. 

In the West, notable precipitation was mostly confined to the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies, although light amounts were observed as far south as California and the southern Rockies. Elsewhere, lingering cold weather was mostly limited to the Southwest, Intermountain West, and central and southern Rockies, while near- or above-normal temperatures covered the remainder of the country. Weekly temperatures averaged more than 10°F above normal in North Dakota and portions of neighboring states. Readings also averaged at least 10°F above normal in parts of the lower Great Lakes region and environs. Rapid warming occurred early in the week across the central and eastern U.S. Bridgeport, CT, posted a daily record-tying high of 53°F on February 6, just 2 days after collecting a daily-record low of -4°F. Farther west, record-setting highs for the 6th soared to 72°F in Kansas City, MO, and 71°F in Topeka, KS. Days later, Kansas City ended up in a narrow band of snow, reporting a daily-record total (3.7 inches) on February 9. In the East, warmth peaked from February 8-10, with Raleigh-Durham, NC, tallying a trio of dailyrecord highs (75°F each day). Consecutive daily-record highs occurred on February 9-10 in locations such as Islip, NY (53 and 62°F), and Virginia’s Dulles Airport (71 and 65°F). Relative to normal, some of the warmest weather affected the middle Ohio Valley on February 9, when daily-record highs reached 74°F in Parkersburg, WV, and 72°F in Columbus, OH. Meanwhile, temperatures exceeded the 80-degree mark in numerous locations across the Deep South. Naples, FL, observed maximum temperatures ranging from 83 to 86°F each day from February 5-11, including a daily-record high (86°F) on the 9th. A daily earlier, on February 8, daily-record highs had soared to 83°F in Greenwood, MS, and 81°F in Montgomery, AL. Before warmth was briefly swept away, daily-record highs on February 10 in New England reached 64°F in Providence, RI; 62°F in Hartford, CT; and 60°F in Boston, MA. As the week began, isolated downpours dotted the southern tip of Florida, mainly along the Atlantic Coast. On February 5, dailyrecord rainfall totals in Florida topped 4 inches in Fort Lauderdale (4.45 inches) and Miami (4.13 inches). For Fort Lauderdale, it was the wettest February day since 1997, when 4.66 inches fell on February 16. Later, precipitation returned across the Northwest, where Quillayute, WA, collected a daily-record total (2.49 inches) for February 7.

12-18: Mostly dry weather prevailed in California, southern Texas, peninsular Florida, and the Great Basin. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 10 to 15°F below normal in the Great Basin and Intermountain West. Conversely, readings averaged more than 10°F above normal across parts of the nation’s northern tier, especially from the Great Lakes region into the Northeast. The lower Rio Grande Valley experienced an early-season heat wave, with temperatures above 90°F. During the first half of week, unusually mild weather covered the upper Great Lakes region, where record-setting highs for February 12 rose to 49°F in Marquette, MI, and 45°F in International Falls, MN. In Wisconsin, Green Bay collected consecutive daily-record highs (45 and 47°F, respectively) on February 13-14. In Michigan, daily-record highs for February climbed to 59°F in Muskegon and 58°F in Lansing. Midweek warmth expanded into the remainder of the Midwest, as well as the East; daily-record highs for the 15th surged to 73°F in Evansville, IN; Zanesville, OH; and Morgantown, WV. Concurrently, record-setting heat affected southern Texas, where February 15 highs soared to 95°F in Del Rio and 94°F in Laredo. Eastern warmth generally peaked on February 16 with monthly record highs in locations such as Islip, NY (71°F), and Bridgeport, CT (68°F). In both locations, previous records—68 and 67°F, respectively—had been set on February 23, 2022. Florida’s warm weather lasted through February 17, when daily-record highs of 88°F occurred in Melbourne, Orlando, and Vero Beach. In contrast, chilly weather engulfed the West. In coastal California, daily-record lows for February 15 dipped to 28°F in Eureka and 30°F in Oceanside. Elsewhere in California, record-setting lows for the 16th included 10°F in Bishop, 18°F in Lancaster, and 32°F in Santa Barbara. Farther inland, sub-zero, daily-record lows for February 16 fell to -26°F in Randolph, UT; -14°F in Ely, NV; and -9°F in Flagstaff, AZ.

19-25: A mid-week dust storm blasted portions of the southern Plains and Southwest, fueled by winds gusting to 60 mph or higher. The active weather was sparked by sharply contrasting temperatures, which included record-setting warmth in the Southeast and frigid conditions across the northern Plains and upper Midwest. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 10 to 15°F above normal across much of the South, while significantly above-normal temperatures extended as far north as the Ohio Valley. Conversely, readings averaged 10 to 20°F below normal across the northern Plains and far upper Midwest. Cold weather in the West was less extreme, compared to normal, although temperatures averaged as much as 10°F below normal in scattered locations west of the Rockies. During a post-storm push of cold air across the Plains and upper Midwest, consecutive daily-record lows were set on February 22-23 in Denver, CO (-7 and -11°F), and Casper, WY (-17 and -26°F). Elsewhere on the 23rd, dailyrecord lows plunged to -27°F in Worland, WY, and -20°F in Scottsbluff, NE. In northern sections of the Plains and Intermountain West, temperatures generally bottomed out on February 24, with daily-record lows of -30°F in Worland and -29°F in Bismarck, ND. Farther west, freezes (and daily-record lows) struck on February 23 in normally temperate California locations such as Santa Rosa (28°F) and Red Bluff (30°F). In California’s Sacramento Valley, both Red Bluff and Redding reported 5-inch snow depths on the morning of February 24. On February 24-25, consecutive daily-record lows occurred in Oregon locations such as Portland (25 and 18°F, respectively) and Hillsboro (16°F both days). Elsewhere in the Northwest, daily-record lows tumbled to 2°F (on the 25th) in Pendleton, OR, and 3°F (on the 24th) in Spokane, WA. In stark contrast, record-setting warmth had briefly preceded the Western cold wave. In California, for example, daily-record highs for February 20 had surged to 80°F in Redding and 79°F in Red Bluff. Later, a fleeting surge of warmth across the southern Plains led to a daily-record high for February 21 in Lawton, OK (84°F). More consistent warmth covered the South. In southern Texas, Harlingen registered consecutive daily-record highs (94 and 96°F, respectively) on February 22-23, while McAllen recorded 98°F on the 22nd. During the mid- to late-week period, many monthly records were set or tied, starting on February 22 with highs of 83°F in Muscle Shoals, AL, and 77°F in Beckley, WV. Muscle Shoals toppled that mark with a high of 86°F on February 23. During the largest wave of February records on the 23rd, highs catapulted to 88°F on St. Simons Island, GA; 87°F in Vicksburg and Tupelo, MS; 86°F in Wilmington, NC; 85°F in Nashville, TN, McComb, MS, and Elizabeth City, Fayetteville, and Raleigh-Durham, NC; 84°F in Greenwood, MS; 83°F in Richmond, VA; and 81°F in Greensboro, NC. St. Simons Island attained 88°F again on February 24. As the week ended, lingering heat along the Gulf Coast led to February record highs on the 25th in Mobile, AL (84°F), and Pensacola, FL (83°F).

 

 

Jim G. Munley, jr.
http://www.jimmunleywx.com