Valley still cruising for record low February temps

YOUNGSTOWN

While it should be above freezing today for the first time since Feb. 11, this could be the coldest February in Mahoning Valley weather history.

As of today, the average temperature for the month was 15.2 degrees.

That average temperature is the full-month record for the coldest

February, which happened in 1934, according to National Weather Service statistics.

As of today, the area’s average temperature was about 12 degrees below normal for the first 20 days of February.

This February will “definitely be in the top-three coldest and has a shot at the top spot,” said Karen Oudeman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Cleveland.

During just this week, the Valley had record lows on four days —

minus 8 on Sunday, minus 13 on Monday, minus 8 on Thursday and minus 16 on today. The 11-below-zero reading Tuesday wasn’t enough to be a record low for that day. The low for that day was minus 14 in 1979.

Today’s 16 below zero tied Feb. 9, 1934, as the coldest day in February.

It led to the cancellation of numerous schools.

Youngstown police dealt with several accidents when the morning commute began today, which closed off state Route 711 southbound and Interstate 680 in both directions around the Market Street and Glenwood Avenue exits for a period of time in the morning.

Read more about the Valley's weather woes in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.