February 2026 Climate Review:
Temperatures averaged above normal by 1 to 2 degrees. The first 8 days of the month were below normal, as the brutal 2nd half of January seeped over into the first week of February. The coldest day of the month was on the 1st when highs were only in the mid to upper 20s and lows dipped into the single digits. Some areas observed sub-zero wind chills in the morning. A warmer pattern setup from the 9th through 20th, with highs in the 50s and 60s many of these days. Much of the region experienced highs in the low to mid 70s on the 19th, breaking several records. A brief cooler period followed from the 21st through 24th, before we ended the month with a return of above normal temperatures with highs once again in the 50s and 60s. Much of southeast Missouri and western Kentucky reached the 70s again on the 27th and 28th, which included a record high of 76 in Paducah on the 28th.
Precipitation was much drier than normal, with all 5 climate sites observing one of their top 5 driest February’s on record! Amounts only ranged from 0.25” to 0.75” across much of the region, and only a few areas experienced over 1”. Deficits were generally 2.5 to 3.5” below normal for the month. This lead to moderate to severe drought expanding across more of the region by the end of the month (even a small area of extreme drought was introduced in the Ozark Foothills of Missouri). The highest observed amount was 1.49” in Christian County Kentucky (Herndon 5S COOP Station).
No measurable snow occurred across our region, with only a light dusting in a few localized areas. This is somewhat uncommon for northern portions of our region, with Evansville registering only their 7th February since 1959 with no measurable snow. Of course, much of the region still had snow on the ground through the first week of the month from the January 24-25 winter storm thanks to the lingering cold temperatures.
| February 2026 Review: Precipitation and Temperature Maps (Click on image to enlarge) |
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| Climate Maps are from the Northeast Regional Climate Center |
Monthly Climate Report: Paducah | Evansville | Cape Girardeau | Poplar Bluff | Carbondale
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