The preliminary statewide average February temperature was 33.8 degrees, 2.8 degrees above the 1991–2020 normal, 4.6 degrees above the 20th Century average, 2.8 degrees above the most recent 30-year average, and it tied for 29th warmest February on record going back to 1895.
The preliminary statewide average total February precipitation was 0.54 inches, 1.57 inches below the 1991–2020 normal, 1.32 inches below the 20th Century average, 1.65 inches below the most recent 30-year average, and the 5th driest February on record statewide.
Data are provisional and may change slightly over time
Mild February Temperatures with Some Cold Breaks
Most perceive February weather as consistently cold and dreary. But February often brings some of the largest day-to-day temperature swings in Illinois. Figure 1 shows daily temperature departures from normal in Pana last month. The first week of February was mainly 5 to 15 degrees cooler than normal, followed by a prolonged period of temperatures that were 5 to 25 degrees warmer than normal.
February average temperatures ranged from the low 40s in southern Illinois to the high 20s in northern Illinois, between 1 and 7 degrees above the 1991-2020 normal (Figure 2). During the peak of extreme cold in early February, many stations across Illinois recorded nighttime low temperatures well below 0, including -8 degrees in Paris and -2 in Aurora. Meanwhile, the milder weather in mid-February brought some impressive daytime highs including 77 degrees in Cahokia Heights and 72 in Moline. The coldest place in the state last month was Stockton in Jo Daviess County with an average February temperature of 28.5 degrees, and the warmest place in the state was Crab Orchard in Williamson County with an average temperature of 41.5 degrees.
The milder weather last month broke 76 daily high maximum temperature records and 31 daily high minimum temperature records. Meanwhile, the extreme cold in early February and the third week of the month broke 2 daily low maximum temperature records and 1 daily low minimum temperature record.
Overall, the preliminary statewide average February temperature was 33.8 degrees, 2.8 degrees above the 1991–2020 normal, 4.6 degrees above the 20th Century average, 2.8 degrees above the most recent 30-year average, and it tied for 29th warmest February on record going back to 1895.
Cold Start, Mild End to Winter
Climatological winter runs from December through February and is the coldest season of the year in Illinois. Midwest winters have warmed at a much faster rate than the other three seasons over the past 100+ years because of human-caused climate change. Consequently, many of the past decade’s winter seasons have been very mild. The 2025-26 winter somewhat bucked that trend in December and certainly in January, when temperatures were 1 to 4 degrees below the 1991-2020 normals. , with December temperatures that were 1 to 6 degrees warmer than normal. However, the mild weather in mid-February pushed the meteorological winter average temperatures a bit closer to the 1991-2020 normals (Figure 3). In fact, much of the western third of the state ended winter with slightly warmer than normal temperatures.
Overall, the preliminary statewide average winter temperature was 28.8 degrees, 0.9 degrees below the 1991–2020 normal, 0.8 degrees above the 20th Century average, and 1.2 degrees below the most recent 30-year average. If confirmed, last season would be tied for 63rd warmest winter on record in Illinois.
Extremely Dry February Worsens Drought
February is normally one of the driest months of the year, but even among typically drier conditions last month was extreme. Total February precipitation ranged from less than a quarter of an inch in much of northern Illinois to just over 3 inches in isolated parts of south-central Illinois. The state was 1 to 4 inches drier than normal last month (Figure 4).
Last month was the driest February on record in Moline (Trace), the second driest on record in Rockford (0.12”), the third driest on record in Chicago (0.16”), the third driest on record in Springfield (0.45”), the second driest on record in Champaign-Urbana (0.18”), the third driest on record in Carbondale (0.51”), and the second driest on record in Mt. Vernon (0.08”).
Not only was last month the driest February on record in Moline, but it was the only month (of any calendar month) on record there to not record any measurable precipitation. Records in Moline go back to 1872, meaning February 2026 was the driest month in the Quad Cities in the last 154 years, or – put another way – the driest month since at least the Ulysses S. Grant administration.
Although December and January were not as extremely dry as February, they were not remarkably wet either. The preliminary statewide total meteorological winter precipitation in Illinois was 3.24 inches, which is 3.73 inches below the 1991-2020 normal, 3.07 inches below the 20th Century average, and 3.75 inches below the most recent 30-year average. If confirmed, the 2025-26 winter season would be the fifth driest on record in Illinois, and the driest since 1976-77. The winter was the 7th driest on record in Springfield, the 5th driest on record in Champaign-Urbana, the 8th driest on record in Quincy, and the driest on record in Carbondale.
Flipped Snow Pattern in Illinois
I am contractually obligated to remind everyone that Illinois often – if not normally – gets some measurable snowfall in March, and occasionally in April. So, the “snowfall season” is not yet complete; however, meteorological winter (December – February) almost always contain most of the snowfall in the state. December brought an active winter stormtrack through central Illinois and produced above average snowfall for the northern half of the state, particularly along the Interstate 72 corridor between Quincy and Danville. January was exceptionally snowy in southern Illinois; however, much of northern Illinois experienced a snow drought. February united the entire state with a substantial lack of snow, and the 2025-26 meteorological winter overall was much snowier than normal in southern and parts of central Illinois, and it was a disappointing snow winter in northern Illinois (Figure 5).
March & Spring Outlooks
After a nearly record dry winter, we need rain in a bad way! Fortunately, March begins meteorological spring, which is typically one of the wettest seasons across Illinois. And even better news: the most recent Climate Prediction Center outlooks show good chances of wetter than normal weather in March (Figure 6). Models are also bullish for a milder start to spring with above average temperatures this month.
The spring season outlooks (March–May) also show higher chances of above normal precipitation, which is also good news. Meanwhile, there is not much of a temperature signal, with equal chances of a warmer and cooler than normal spring (Figure 7).
