February 2026
February 2026 Overview – Midwestern Regional Climate Center
Temperature
The average February temperature for the Midwest was 30.7°F, which was 4.4°F above the 1991–2020 normal (Figure 1). Temperatures were 4 to 10°F above normal in the west, transitioning to 2 to 4°F below normal in the east (Figure 2). Statewide average temperatures ranged from 8.1°F above normal in Iowa to 0.8°F below normal in Ohio. Final rankings indicate that both Iowa and Minnesota recorded their 11th- and 13th-warmest Februarys, respectively, since 1895. Anomalous warmth blanketed the western half of the region for much of the month, with it briefly spreading eastward mid-month. Sioux City, Iowa, tied its 2nd warmest February day since 1889 when the high temperature reached 75°F on February 9, 2026. For the month, Kansas City, Missouri, had a record-setting 15 calendar days with the maximum temperature at or above 60°F. In Iowa, Sioux City and Des Moines also had a record number of days at or above 60°F. A handful of long-running weather stations in the western half of the region had a top 10 warmest February (based on average temperatures), including Kansas City (5th warmest), Sioux City (8th warmest), and Winnebago (MN, 8th warmest). While locations in the east were below normal, none of the monthly temperatures approached any records. The average winter (December–February) temperature for the Midwest was 25.5°F, which was exactly normal (Figure 3). Winter temperatures were above normal in the west, near normal along the Mississippi River corridor, and below normal in the east (Figure 4).
Temperature Figures
- Midwest temperature and precipitation summary, February 2026 (Figure 1, opens image)
- Average temperature departure from normal, February 2026 (Figure 2, opens image)
- Winter temperature and precipitation summary, December 2025-February 2026 (Figure 3, opens image)
- Average winter temperature departure from normal, December 2025-February 2026 (Figure 4, opens image)
Precipitation
February precipitation totaled 0.91 inches for the Midwest, which was 0.93 inches below normal, or 49 percent of normal (Figure 1). Final rankings show the Midwest recorded its 11th-driest February since 1895, tying with 1969. Precipitation was near to above normal across the far upper Midwest and isolated areas of central Ohio and southwest Missouri (Figure 5). Elsewhere, precipitation was scant, with wide swaths of Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio reporting less than 25 percent of normal precipitation. Statewide precipitation totals ranged from 0.11 inches below normal in Minnesota to 2.08 inches below normal in Kentucky. Final rankings indicate that Illinois had its 4th driest February on record, tied with 1907. Iowa recorded its 10th-driest February (tied with 1964), and Indiana its 16th-driest, both since 1895. Early February was characterized by regionwide dryness. As the month progressed, more frequent weather disturbances tracked across the upper Midwest but largely missed the lower Midwest. Dozens of locations in Illinois and Iowa reported no measurable precipitation in February, making it the driest February on record or tying the record. Several long-running stations across the lower Midwest reported a top 5 driest month, including Rockford (IL, 2nd driest), Chicago (IL, 3rd driest), Cleveland (OH, 5th driest), and Detroit (MI, 5th driest). Conversely, across the upper Midwest, a top 5 wettest February was recorded in Minocqua (WI, 2nd wettest), Herman (MI, 2nd wettest), Cheboygan (MI, 3rd wettest), and Peshtigo (WI, 4th wettest). Total winter (December-February) precipitation was 3.63 inches, which was 2.34 inches below normal for the season (Figure 3). Final rankings indicate that the Midwest had its 7th-driest winter since 1895.
Precipitation Figures
- Midwest temperature and precipitation summary, February 2026 (Figure 1, opens image)
- Accumulated precipitation, percent of normal, February 2026 (Figure 5, opens image)
- Winter temperature and precipitation summary, December 2025-February 2026 (Figure 3, opens image)
Snowfall
Snowfall was generally lacking across the Midwest in February, except for the far upper Midwest, central Iowa, and southern Ohio (Figure 6). Across the far upper Midwest, February snowfall totals ranged from 15 to 50 inches, which was about 100 to 200 percent of normal (Figure 7). Snowfall was especially noteworthy along the north shore of Lake Superior, where totals from February 17-19 alone ranged from 20 to 30 inches. According to the Minnesota State Climatology Office, “an observer in Hovland in Cook County measured some of the heaviest snow ever recorded in Minnesota, with a three-day total of 40.4 inches, making it the second-highest known storm total in Minnesota's recorded history, and the largest in 32 years.” Snowfall totals in February were less than 50 percent of normal across wide stretches of the upper Midwest. Monthly snowfall totals in southern and northwest Wisconsin were 8 to 12 inches below normal (Figure 8). Similar deficits were reported across western Michigan and portions of Minnesota. Across the lower Midwest, Missouri and Illinois had little to no snowfall. A few counties in central Iowa and southern Ohio had near-normal snowfall, while elsewhere across the region, totals were 5 to 50 percent of normal. Sioux City—which typically receives 8.7 inches of snow in February—had no snow for only the 3rd time since 1889, with the last occurrence in 1946. In Illinois, Rockford had its 3rd least snowy February since 1893, and Chicago had its 10th least snowy February since 1884.
Snowfall Figures
- Accumulated snowfall, February 2026 (Figure 6, opens image)
- Accumulated snowfall, percent of normal, February 2026 (Figure 7, opens image)
- Accumulated snowfall departure from normal, February 2026 (Figure 8, opens image)
Drought
Drought expanded and intensified across the Midwest in February. Drought was present in all nine Midwestern states, with widespread moderate (D1) to extreme (D3) drought across Missouri, Illinois, northern Indiana, and northwest Ohio (Figure 9). Drought emerged in northwest and southeast Iowa in February. Across the upper Midwest, conditions varied but were unchanged throughout the month, with some areas drought-free and others in moderate (D1) to severe (D2) drought.
Drought Figures
Severe Weather – February 19, 2026
Severe thunderstorms moved across southern Illinois and southern Indiana along a warm frontal boundary on the afternoon and evening of February 19. The National Weather Service confirmed 8 tornadoes in Illinois and 4 in Indiana (Figure 10). The strongest storm occurred near Bloomington, Indiana, with winds estimated at 120 mph, resulting in structural damage to homes, businesses, and the airport. Additionally, weather spotters reported dozens of hail reports in Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Severe Weather Figures
