February NOAA Outlook for Minnesota Leans Towards Snow & Cold

NOAA and the National Weather Service suggest that February in Minnesota is leaning towards normal to above normal snowfall.

This is after a second straight, essentially snow-less winter so far. Despite this past week's record highs, this season's temperatures haven't been that far off. It's the missing snow that has Minnesotan's scratching their heads.

Most locations in Minnesota are about a a foot of snowfall below average for the winter season.

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Forecasters at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) suggest that we could be taking a turn to more normal conditions that you'd expect during a Minnesota winter.

February Temperature Outlook

We haven't been too far off of the normal mark for temperatures this winter, and that trend looks like it will continue. In fact, the latest outlook suggests that we could expect normal to below normal temps.

Here's what the average high in February looks like across the state:

• Faribault: 29°
• Duluth: 24°
• Owatonna: 28°
• Rochester: 28°
• St. Cloud: 27°
• Twin Cities: 29°

February Precipitation Outlook

This is the part of the equation that has been missing this winter. Where has all the snow been? According to NOAA's predictions for the the next four weeks, we can expect to see normal February snowfall, even possibly leaning to the above normal side of things.

Here's what the average snowfall in February looks like across the state:

• Faribault: 8"
• Duluth: 12"
• Owatonna: 8"
• Rochester: 9"
• St. Cloud: 7"
• Twin Cities: 8"

Northeastern Minnesota is off to a fast start when it comes to snowfall in February. Most of the northern half of the state will pick up 2-5 inches of snow this weekend, with areas closer to Lake Superior expecting 6-9 inches.