February Is A Winter Month, And Mother Nature Is Finally Putting An End To Fool’s Spring

Pattern Change Ahead: Relief For The Severe-Weary

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For anyone who was enjoying last week's milder temperatures east of the Rockies, we have some bad news.

Winter was, unfortunately, just taking a quick nap, and now it has woken back up as cold air returns once again.

If you were taken in by the promise of spring with the recent mild weather and warm temperatures, putting away your winter clothes prematurely, you’re not alone. There’s a reason the first warm up towards the second half of winter is lovingly referred to as “fool’s spring.”

But February is a winter month - meteorological winter lasts until March 1st, and the actual Spring Equinox isn’t until March 20.

Here’s how cold it will get: Multiple waves of cold air are expected to impact the central and eastern United States into this weekend. ​The worst of the first bout has already engulfed the central U.S. and will keep temperatures there as much as 20 to 40 degrees colder than average through Thursday morning. Some of that cold air will spread into the South and East in a more muted form late week.

But it will warm up again, right? No, not really. Not anytime soon, anyway.

Another wave of cold air will enter the country through the Northern Plains starting Friday, and by Sunday highs across the central United States could be up to 25 degrees below average.

The 8 to 14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center, which stretches almost until the end of February, is also calling for below average temperatures across the central and eastern U.S.

E​ventually that colder air will reach Florida, as well, next week. So, enjoy the warmth while it lasts.

Sara Tonks is a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences along with a master’s degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.