News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Clifford Lindsman drains a basket while shooting hoops at MacRae Park in Alpena on Friday. The sun was out and temperatures were above average, but a stiff breeze off of Thunder Bay made it feel a touch cool.

ALPENA — Preliminary data from the National Weather Service shows last month was the warmest February ever recorded in Alpena.

The weather service began collecting data in the late 1800s.

The average high temperature, average low temperature, and overall average temperature for the month each were more than 10 degrees above the long-term average.

Forecasters say the mild weather is expected to continue for another week or so.

The average high temperature for February was 40.5 degrees, which easily eclipsed the long-term average of 30.2 degrees. The peak high temperature was recorded on Tuesday, when a temperature reading at the Alpena County Regional Airport showed it was 70 degrees outside.

That crushed the record set in 2018, when it was 61 degrees. It was also the warmest day ever recorded during February in Alpena and the earliest Alpena has ever hit the 70-degree mark, according to Weather Service data. The previous earliest date the thermometer reached 70 degrees was on March 7, 2000.

The lowest temperature recorded last month was 6 degrees during the overnight hours of Feb. 20.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Harold Dippman, of the Weather Service’s Gaylord office, gave one word to describe the weather last month in Alpena and most of the state.

“Toasty,” he said. “Up until this year, we have never seen this mild of weather in Alpena before. There were a lot of things that have never been achieved that happened last month, especially near the end of the month.”

Snow showers and accumulation also fell well below the monthly average, as Alpena only received 7.2 inches of snow. Most of that amount — 5.5 inches — fell on Feb. 15. The average snowfall for February is 17 inches.

Dippman said people should think twice about putting their shovels away or taking the plows off their trucks. He said that, although snow events will become less frequent, it is unreasonable to think there won’t be more snow over the next month or two.

“In northern Michigan, it is not uncommon to get snow into April and even measurable snow until May,” Dippman said. “It may only be an eighth of an inch, but it can happen. Does that mean we will have snow in May? No. But it is always possible.”

It doesn’t appear Alpena will receive snow anytime soon. The forecast shows temperatures will remain mild and even threaten other records. Dippman said communities along the shoreline of the Great Lakes could see cooler temperatures than a few miles inland if there is an onshore wind.

“We’re still looking at mild and even record-breaking temperatures for about the next four days in Alpena, but, with a lake breeze, things could be beautiful outside and then cool off quickly, depending on the direction of the wind,” Dippman said.

Later next week, a cold front will move into the area and cool things down a bit. Beginning Wednesday and extending through March 10, high temperatures will only reach the high 30s and low 40s.