Eastern Cornbelt:
The week began with a mix of rain and snow across northern Ohio, with highs climbing into the 30s, a welcome change from the previous week’s bitter cold. Wind chills on Feb. 15-16 fell to the negative double-digits in the region, with heavy snow reported across central Indiana and south-central Ohio.
Conditions improved as the week progressed. By Feb. 24-25, highs in the 50s were common across southern Indiana and Illinois, with northern areas of both states enjoying 40-degree temperatures. Sources were once again talking about a potentially early start to spring fieldwork.
Western Cornbelt:
Temperatures across Iowa and Nebraska ranged from lows in the 20s to highs in the upper-30s at midweek, a vast improvement from the previous week’s subzero chills. There were growing concerns about potentially severe spring flooding on the Missouri River due to thawing ice and the formation of ice jams, however.
California:
Gusty winds and unseasonably warm temperatures were reported across Northern California during the week. The weather marked a shift from a series of systems earlier in February that dropped heavy precipitation across the region.
Strong Santa Ana winds also hit Southern California during the week, with 60-80 mph gusts causing power outages in some locations. Minimal precipitation was expected for the coming weekend, highlighting concerns about wildfires. Areas of severe-to-extreme drought persisted across Northern California in late February, with patches of extreme-to-exceptional drought showing up in inland areas of Southern California.
Pacific Northwest:
Heavy snowfall at mid-month caused widespread power outages in Oregon and Washington and blanketed parts of western Washington in up to 10 inches of accumulation. The same powerful system also sent temperatures in Montana plunging to the negative double digits, but more seasonal weather was reported across the region during the last full week of February.
Another Pacific storm system brought rain and gusty winds to coastal areas of Oregon and Washington late in the week, with forecasts warning of up to three feet of snow in the Oregon Cascades over the coming weekend. Steady rainfall was reported in Portland on Feb. 25, with a high wind advisory warning of 45-55 mph gusts across central, north-central, and northeastern Oregon.
Western Canada:
A Pacific system brought wind, rain, and snow to much of British Columbia early in the week. Scattered snow flurries were also reported across Saskatchewan at midweek, with temperatures hovering right at freezing. Another system battered parts of Alberta with strong winds on Feb. 25, with gusts up to 60 km/h reported.
Lower-than-normal snowfall so far this winter has pushed parts of southwestern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan into moderate-to-severe drought conditions.
Although precipitation has been in short supply, cold temperatures certainly have not. Mid-February wind chills plunged to a negative 40-50 C in northern Manitoba. Extreme cold at mid-month resulted in 17 records being set across Saskatchewan on Feb. 13, with Alberta posting 26 cold temperature records over the Valentine’s weekend and another 15 records on Feb. 15.