Incredibly, it seems my statistics skills have not faded too far in the 30 years since I earned my meteorology degree. I calculated that 2025 was 0.11 degree cooler than normal. The official number from National Weather Service Duluth is -0.1 degree. Rounding just a little, our region’s annual mean temp is 40 degrees. Normal climate variability is plus or minus a degree. So, we can say last year was quite normal.
2024 was four degrees warmer than normal. 2023 was 1.9 degrees warmer than normal. 2022 was 1.9 degrees cooler than normal. 2021 was 2.5 degrees warmer than normal. That gives us a five year average of 1.28 degrees warmer than normal which is a little more than what our climate is supposed to do. February around here is supposed to be our coldest month. That may not happen in 2026.
February should be close to normal for snow. The temperature, though, may go to five degrees warmer than normal. The 1st to 6th, though, should be sunny, dry and cold. It’s the 7th to 14th that should become sunny and mild. The 15th to 28th will stay mild but the bulk of the month’s precip could fall then. Here’s wishing everyone a sunny and mild Valentine’s Day on the 14th!
