February's weather to be 'near normal'

FINDLAY — It's that time of year again in Northwest Ohio when temperatures in the 40s make it seem that spring is within reach. Hang in there! Sunday is Groundhog Day and marks the halfway point of winter. While Punxsutawney Phil will have his own prediction, the weatherman says to expect February's temperatures to be near normal. Precipitation may be slightly above normal — a mix of rain, sleet, ice and snow — also, normal. The National Weather Service forecast for Findlay calls for mostly sunny skies today, with a high near 38 degrees. It will be breezy. Thursday's forecast also calls for sunny skies, with a high near 42 degrees and calmer winds. "The short-term forecast looks pretty good," said Brian Mitchell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, in Cleveland. "The month will have its ups and downs, but not looking too bad. The trend going into the first week of February and a little further out for the Ohio Valley looks a little above normal." Mitchell said springtime temperatures arrive by degrees. The normal high for the area on Feb. 1 is 35 degrees. By Feb. 28, the normal high climbs to 42 degrees. For Northwest Ohio, warmer than normal temperatures could mean a more active storm track this month, Mitchell said. "It looks like the trend will be for above-normal precipitation through the third week of February," he said. Whether that precipitation arrives as rain, ice or snow will depend on the timing. Normal low temperatures for February remain below freezing. On Feb. 1, the normal low is 20 degrees. By Feb. 28, the normal low is 25 degrees. The summer's drought conditions are now gone, but the U.S. Drought Monitor says Northwest Ohio remains abnormally dry. More precipitation now and through the spring months would help guard against drought heading into 2025. As for last week's arctic blast, it was bitter cold, but Mitchell said it fell short of record-setting for Findlay. According to weather data collected by the NWS at the Findlay Airport, 1615 Gray Street, and dating to 1942, the record low for Jan. 21 is minus 19 degrees, set in 1984. The low last week was minus 5 degrees for the date. The low on Jan. 22 of minus 6 degrees did approach the record of minus 8 degrees, set in 1970, Mitchell said.