Extratropical Highlights - February 2026

 

1. Northern Hemisphere

The 500-hPa circulation during February featured anomalous ridging over most of North America and anomalous troughing over the North Atlantic Ocean (Fig. E9). The main land-surface temperature signals include above average temperatures across the United States and Eurasia, and below average temperatures across Scandinavia (Fig. E1). The main land-surface precipitation signals include drier than average conditions in the eastern third of the United States and above average precipitation in Southern Europe (Fig. E3).

 

a. North America

The February height pattern over North America featured anomalous ridging over Alaska, the Hudson Bay, and most of the United States (U.S.), and anomalous troughing over the Canadian Maritime and along the U.S. Atlantic Seaboard (Fig. E9). The anomalous ridging pattern ushered in warmer than average temperatures with many areas across the U.S. reaching the highest 90th percentile of occurrences (Fig. E1). Drier than average conditions were recorded for the eastern half of the U.S. with many areas reaching the driest 10th percentile of occurrences (Figs. E3, E5, E6).

 

b. Eurasia

Europe and southern Eurasia recorded temperatures in the highest 90th percentile of occurrences during February, while Scandinavia and northern Russia recorded temperatures in the lowest 30th percentile of occurrences (Fig. E1). Drier than average conditions were recorded across Scandinavia and above average precipitation was recorded across Southern Europe where many areas exceeded the 90th percentile of occurrences (Figs. E3, E4).

 

2. Southern Hemisphere

The 500-hPa height pattern in the Southern Hemisphere resembled a wavetrain of anomalous ridging over the South Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean, and anomalous troughing over Antarctica (Fig. E15). Warmer than average conditions were observed for southern South America where some areas across Paraguay reached the highest 90th percentile of occurrences (Fig. E1). Drier than average conditions were observed across Madagascar and Angola, along with parts of southern South America and Brazil, where drought conditions continue (Figs. E3, E4). The South African monsoon season runs from October to April. During February, rainfall was below normal for the first time since October, which kicked off with a dry start to the monsoon season (Figs. E3, E4).