The central United States has just witnessed what was probably its most significant February heat wave on record, after scores of records were not just broken, but demolished.
Half a dozen states registered their highest February temperature on record [as did more than 130 cities and towns](https://twitter.com/JimCantore/status/1762807795236126790), including Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Detroit. Multiple locations also posted their highest temperatures ever observed during any of the winter months. The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore [described](https://twitter.com/JimCantore/status/1762807795236126790) the spree of records as “insane” on X.
Temperatures climbed to 90 in Missouri, the mid-80s in Illinois, near 80 in Iowa and the mid-70s in Wisconsin. In Texas, temperatures reached the century mark. The record-breaking heat, as much as 40 degrees above normal, crossed the border into southern Canada as well; Quebec saw its highest February temperature.
In many cases, records were beaten by significant amounts.
The heat also fueled an outbreak of damaging tornadoes in the Midwest, including what was probably Michigan’s farthest north tornado observed in February.
Had a slew of tornados pass thru Chicagoland last night. Extreme weather for an about hour, it was crazy. 77 degrees yesterday and now 19 degrees today lol.
We were 36* above average in Michigan yesterday. It’s scary to think what that would be like in the summer.
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The central United States has just witnessed what was probably its most significant February heat wave on record, after scores of records were not just broken, but demolished.
Half a dozen states registered their highest February temperature on record [as did more than 130 cities and towns](https://twitter.com/JimCantore/status/1762807795236126790), including Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis and Detroit. Multiple locations also posted their highest temperatures ever observed during any of the winter months. The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore [described](https://twitter.com/JimCantore/status/1762807795236126790) the spree of records as “insane” on X.
Temperatures climbed to 90 in Missouri, the mid-80s in Illinois, near 80 in Iowa and the mid-70s in Wisconsin. In Texas, temperatures reached the century mark. The record-breaking heat, as much as 40 degrees above normal, crossed the border into southern Canada as well; Quebec saw its highest February temperature.
In many cases, records were beaten by significant amounts.
Weather historian Maximiliano Herrera described the heat episode as “insanity, madness, mind blowing,” [on X](https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1762660056766545964). He compared its magnitude to the [most extreme heat events](https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1762660325847974276) in U.S. history. “Records were brutalized with margins seen only a couple of times in history,” he wrote.
The heat also fueled an outbreak of damaging tornadoes in the Midwest, including what was probably Michigan’s farthest north tornado observed in February.
**Read more:** [**https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/02/28/record-heat-midwest-tornadoes-climate/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/02/28/record-heat-midwest-tornadoes-climate/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit.com)
It just gets better and better. /s
Had a slew of tornados pass thru Chicagoland last night. Extreme weather for an about hour, it was crazy. 77 degrees yesterday and now 19 degrees today lol.
We were 36* above average in Michigan yesterday. It’s scary to think what that would be like in the summer.