Meteorological winter ending on a warm note

February has almost come to an end, marking the final month of meteorological winter. The Northeastern U.S. has been walloped by snow and cold this month, including a record breaking blizzard earlier this week that rivaled that of 1978. Meanwhile, February has been mild and virtually snow free across Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas with only trace amounts of snow and no shortage of spring-like warmth.

In St. Joseph, high temperatures have been well above average for 19 of the past 26 days with one daily record high of 77 degrees on February 9. With unseasonably warm air sticking around through Saturday, the final figure will be 21 of 28 days of well above average highs, that works out to 75% of this month.

Not surprisingly, the warm air has not been ideal for local snowfall in recent weeks. Aside from a few snow showers that only amounted to trace accumulations in spots, St. Joseph and surrounding areas have had a virtually snowless February- not unheard of but definitely an anomaly compared to the average monthly snowfall of around 5 inches. 

Late-winter snow has been in better supply for our neighbors just to the north as of last week, when a compact winter storm dumped 5 to 9 inches of fresh snow from Linicoln to Omaha, with measurable snow as far south as the Missouri / Iowa border.

Meteorological spring starts March 1st, a month which ultimately ushers in warmer temperatures with average highs in St. Joseph starting off in the upper 40s and finishing out in the low 60s by March 31st. As we know, March is almost never without plenty of ups and downs as well. The all-time record high in March at St. Joseph’s Rosecrans Airport is a stifling 98 degrees, while the record low is a frigid -13 degrees. 

Ironically enough, the first day of meteorological spring could bring wintry precipitation to Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas, as a shot of cold air intersects with a plume of moisture. March averages about 2 inches of total snowfall locally, so a few flakes are to be expected as the cold season slowly dies out. 

Despite March starting off on a chilly and perhaps wintry note, the Climate Prediction Center’s long-range monthly outlook has decent odds for above normal temperatures over the next 4 weeks from the Central Plains to the Gulf Coast. Good news for those weary of Jack Frost.