Warm February Temps Flirting With Minnesota Records

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The bulky parkas are being cast aside, and it's possible that a few standing records for unseasonable warmth in Minnesota may also be discarded.

WCCO director of meteorology Mike Augustyniak says that it's practically certain that the Twin Cities will see well above-average temperatures by the end of February.

"Climatologically, February is when the Twin Cities has its deepest snowpack," Augustyniak said. "This year, with little no snowpack left and several Pacific warm surges likely before the end of the month, it's clear we'll hit 50-plus a few days before the month is out. But it's also within the realm of possibility that we hit 60 degrees in the Twin Cities."

The warmest temperature recorded on any February day in the Twin Cities was on Feb. 26, 1896, when the mercury reached 64 degrees.

Augustyniak noted that the same temperature represents the record for both Montevideo and Redwood Falls, cities that had both reached 55 degrees by Friday afternoon.

"That's insanely warm for so early in February," he said.

Figures from Climate Central show a rising trend in the lowest recorded temperatures from each year dating back to 1970.

Augustyniak said the same air mass that is bringing Minnesota unseasonable warmth is also providing record high temperatures to Colorado and Kansas. Denver reached 79 degrees as of 2 p.m.