Record Warmth, Spring Fever in the Plains; Midwest, South; Northeast Warms-Up This Weekend

Linda Lam
Published: February 19,2016


 
Spring has sprung across much of the country, or at least it feels that way, as unseasonably warm air surges north and east. This case of spring fever will continue into the weekend across the Plains, while also spreading into the Midwest, South and East.
By mid-February, we understand your itchiness for spring. You see 70s on the map nearly every day somewhere else, before shuffling outside to shovel your driveway. Your retired neighbor is gone for weeks at a time. You hear the phrase, "pitchers and catchers report."
Last weekend, parts of the Northeast shivered through one of their coldest mornings in decades. Then Winter Storm Olympia dumped over a foot of snow in parts of the interior Northeast.
(RECAPS: Record Cold in the Northeast | Winter Storm Olympia)
Instead of taking a cold, southward plunge deep into the East, the jet stream will flatten out through this weekend, allowing some of the West's warmth to spread east.

Setup Late This Week

Plains, Midwest Warmth

The biggest case of full-blown spring fever will be felt from the Plains into the South, where temperatures have been running more than 15 degrees above average since Thursday.
Dozens of daily record highs were shattered in the Plains on Thursday, with some all-time February records broken, as well. Lamar, Colorado experienced their warmest meteorological winter (Dec. to Feb.) temperature on record after reaching 86 degrees Thursday, according to wunderground.com blogger Bob Henson.
Although Friday was not nearly as warm as Thursday, several daily record highs were set for the second straight day. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a more complete listing of records that have been broken or tied.
Here is what to expect coming up.

• Saturday: Highs and lows will remain well above average through the Plains and into the Midwest. Highs will range from the 40s to the 60s for much of the Midwest, with 70s and 80s in the southern Plains.
• A few daily record highs are possible on Saturday (current record is in parentheses), including Oklahoma City (81 degrees); St. Louis (77 degrees); Kansas City (70 degrees); Des Moines (61 degrees).
• A few daily record warm lows are also possible on Saturday in Dallas (61 degrees); Little Rock (57 degrees); Amarillo (48 degrees); Marquette, Michigan (34 degrees); Minneapolis (33 degrees); International Falls, Minnesota (31 degrees).

(FORECAST: National Highs/Lows Next 10 Days)

Forecast Highs Compares to Average

The Storm Prediction Center outlined an "extremely critical fire weather area" for Thursday in parts of the southern High Plains due to the combination of forecast strong winds, warm temperatures, low relative humidities, and dry vegetation.
Several grass fires and wildfires were reported from the High Plains to the Missouri Valley on Thursday.
(MORE: Outbreak of Wildfires Across Central States)
Although the fire threat appears to be lessening into the weekend, the threat for a few isolated fires cannot be ruled out.

The East Warms Too!

While not as warm as the Plains, the expanse of warmer-than-average temperatures will spread into the Southeast and Northeast this weekend.
Warmer air reached the Ohio Valley and Appalachians on Friday, with temperatures in the 60s as far north as Lower Michigan, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The above-average high temperatures will overspread East Coast this weekend. Highs will reach the low 50s in parts of southern New England and New York's Lower Hudson Valley. Washington D.C. should push into the 60s, while 70s will become increasingly common in the Southeast.
(FORECASTS: Boston | Washington, DC | Atlanta)

Forecast Highs and Weather Conditions

Morning lows will not drop below the freezing mark for most locations east of the Mississippi River the next several days. The only exceptions will be from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Upstate New York and northern New England.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast Highs and Lows)
This stretch of above-freezing temperatures should allow some significant melting of the existing Midwest and Northeast snowpack.
Enjoy this while it lasts. Our latest longer-range guidance suggests yet another cold plunge will nosedive through the Midwest, South and parts of the East early next week.
(MORE: Eastern Storm Ahead)

Thursday's Record-Shattering Heat

The Thursday morning forecast discussion from the National Weather Service in Dodge City, Kansas, put Thursday's heat in context best:

"Heat in February?! Yes. The atmosphere recognizes no calendar. Break out the shorts and flip flops and turn on that AC because it is going to be very hot today. Records will likely be annihilated."

Temperatures Thursday afternoon reached 90 degrees as far north as central Kansas, with widespread highs 25 to 35 or more degrees above average over the central Plains.

Observed temperatures, relative humidity and wind speeds at 5 p.m. CST / 4 p.m. MST Thursday.

All-time February record highs were set on Thursday in six states including Roswell, New Mexico (91 degrees); Gage, Oklahoma (90 degrees, tied); Garden City, Kansas (89 degrees); Dodge City, Kansas (88 degrees); Lamar, Colorado (87 degrees); Dalhart, Texas (85 degrees, tied); Goodland, Kansas (82 degrees); Pueblo, Colorado (81 degrees, tied); Valentine, Nebraska (78 degrees, tied); Sidney, Nebraska (76 degrees, tied).
Other daily record highs were broken or tied across the region, such as Lubbock (87 degrees); Amarillo (86 degrees); El Paso (85 degrees); Concordia (79 degrees); Topeka (78 degrees); Wichita (77 degrees); Springfield, Missouri (74 degrees, tied); Denver (73 degrees).
Goodland, Kansas, along Interstate 70 in far northwest Kansas, reached the 80-degree mark Thursday for only the fifth February day on record, there, dating to 1895.
Roswell, New Mexico joined the 90-degree club for the earliest date on record Thursday, easily eclipsing the previous earliest 90-degree day of March 2, 1967.

Friday's Record Warmth

Daily record highs were set at Lubbock (85 degrees); El Paso (81 degrees, tied); Tulsa (78 degrees); St. Louis (77 degrees); Springfield, Missouri (72 degrees); Flint (61 degrees); Bismarck (60 degrees); Lansing, Michigan (60 degrees, tied).
MORE: February Destinations (PHOTOS)