News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Elder Luce takes a close look at Thunder Bay using one of the telescopes on the breakwall in Alpena on Wednesday. The area could see more snow and ice on Friday as the National Weather Service tracks a powerful winter storm that could impact Northeast Michigan.

ALPENA — The zig-zag between mild and cold temperatures in February led to a series of snow events that produced the most snow of any month so far this winter.

The snow moved the area closer to its average snow totals for the season, after being well below the normal snowfall.

For the month, Alpena saw 22 inches of snow, which easily surpassed the 17-inch average for February.

But, for the most part, the month was dominated by mild temperatures that led to the average temperature being 4 degrees above the norm.

So far this winter, Alpena has received 55.3 inches of snow, about five inches below the 60.2-inch average for this far into the winter.

More snow could be in store for Friday and Saturday.

Data released Wednesday from the National Weather Service showed Alpena’s weather last month was topsy-turvy, as weather cycles went from warm to cold, dry, rainy, icy, windy, and snowy.

“There was a clash between warm and cold air that allowed for more moisture to seep into the Great Lakes region and some of the storm had decent snowfall in the Alpena area,” meteorologist Harold Dippman said.

The largest dumping of snow occurred on Feb. 15, when 5.4 inches was measured at the Alpena County Regional Airport. Some larger amounts were reported in other areas of Alpena County, including the city, where as much as 8 inches was reported, the Weather Service said.

Over the last 13 days of the month, a pair of snow events dropped more than 19 inches, which left a snow depth on the ground of 14 inches.

For some of the month, the snow that did fall didn’t last long, as warm temperatures melted away accumulation. The average high temperature for February was 34.3 degrees, which was 4.1 degrees above the long-term average. The average temperature was 24.7 degrees, which was 4 degrees above the norm.

The highest temperature last month was 51 degrees, which was recorded on Feb. 8 and again on Valentines Day. The 51-degree temperature on Feb. 8 broke a record set in 1991.

Overall, the mercury reached 50 degrees on three days and at least 40 degrees on nine days.

Dippman said that, as mild as temperatures were, they weren’t record-breaking, overall.

“It was warmer than average, that is for sure, but it isn’t that close to being the warmest February on record,” he said. “But there were a lot of nice days sprinkled throughout the month.”

The calendar might have changed over to March, but it appears the threat of snow carried over with it.

Dippman and his fellow meteorologists are tracking a major winter storm that has wreaked havoc in the western part of the U.S.

Dippman said that, as of Wednesday, the storm track appears to have the center of the storm moving south, which would reduce the amount of snow the Alpena area will get. He said that, because the storm is a few days out, however, the track could change and snow totals and wind conditions in the forecast could change.

“We’ll get snow, but it doesn’t look like a big snow event for Alpena right now,” Dippman said. “It is still one to watch and keep an eye on, though, because it is still a bit too soon to know the more precise details.”