America's Coldest February in 32 Years Couldn't Offset an Overall Warm Winter

 Jonathan Erdman

Published: March 8, 2021

February 2021 was America's coldest February in over three decades, but it couldn't offset an otherwise mild winter.

According to NOAA's State of the Climate report released Monday, February 2021 was just over 3 degrees colder than average over the continental U.S. It was the nation's coldest February since 1989.

February 2021 ranked as the 19th coldest February in NOAA's database dating to 1895.

Fourteen of those 19 coldest Februaries occurred prior to 1960, according to NOAA.

Contiguous U.S. February temperatures from 1895 through 2021.

Six states had one of their top 10 coldest Februaries; it was the coldest in each of those states since the late 1970s.

Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma each had their sixth coldest February.

Arkansas and Iowa had their seventh coldest February, while Missouri had its ninth coldest February.

Texas' statewide temperature in February 2021 was an impressive 5.2 degrees colder than average, but that still wasn't cold enough for a top 10 coldest February. February 2021 ended just 0.2 degrees shy of tying February 2010 and 1947. Still, the anamalous chill produced crippling impacts on electricity and water supply.

February 2021 temperature rankings. States most below average are shaded in darker blue. Ranking numbers indicate where February 2021 ranked among all Februaries in NOAA's data since 1895. For example, a "6" means 2021 was the sixth coldest February in that state.

A historic cold outbreak during which almost 200 all-time cold records were tied or set in the Plains drove the nation's chilly February.

Almost 27% of the U.S. was classified as very cold in February - in the top 10% of its historical February temperatures - according to NOAA's statistics.

(RECAP: February 2021's Extreme Weather)

Another Mild Winter, Despite February

Despite the frigid cold February in the nation's heartland, the rest of winter was generally mild for most in the U.S.

The December 2020 through February 2021 national mean temperature was 1.4 degrees above average, according to NOAA.

This winter was tied for 29th warmest, which placed it in the top quarter of all warmest winters dating to 1895.

Temperature percentiles for the December 2020 through February 2021 period, relative to other December-February periods on record dating to 1895.

Much of the northern tier of the U.S., Florida and the West was warmer than average this past winter.

It was the third warmest winter on record in Maine, where the state's mean winter temperature was 6.8 degrees above average. Only the winters of 2015-16 and 2001-02 were warmer in the Pine Tree State, according to NOAA.

According to an analysis from Climate Central, winter temperatures have warmed by at least 2 degrees since 1970 in 86% of U.S. cities.

This long-term winter warming has been most pronounced in the Northeast, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.

The magnitude of warming in winter (Dec-Feb) since 1970 in degrees Fahrenheit over the U.S.

Since 1980, winter temperatures in the U.S. have warmed by about 0.4 degrees per decade, according to NOAA.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.