February 2026 - Page 5 of 11 - Climate Impact Company

News

02/18/2026, 8:47 am EST

Aerial Coverage of Great Lakes Ice and FEB/MAR/APR Temperature

As of February 17th, the aerial coverage of ice across the Great Lakes is 47%. Since 2014, the current aerial coverage of Great Lakes ice is about average. When Great Lakes ice has been above average as observed during the 2013-14/2014-15 polar vortex winter seasons, FEB/MAR/APR climate across North America was biased colder than normal. When ice is at moderate levels similar with 2026, a cold bias during FEB/MAR/APR appears to the west of the Great Lakes region

02/17/2026, 8:36 am EST

Widening/Intensifying Australia Rainfall

The Australia outlook is prohibitively wet for most of the continent. AI models are utilized although dynamic models are agreeable to possible extreme rainfall centered on East-central to South-central Australia over the next 15 days. No change in the 16-20-day forecast as the wet regime continues.

02/16/2026, 12:02 pm EST

U.S. Weather Pattern Features Significant Increase in Hazards

The U.S. weather pattern shifts to problematic with a large array of hazards focused on the western half of the U.S. Featured are widespread wind and snow advisories/watch/warnings including a Red Flag Warning across much of the western Great Plains. Widespread dense fog stretches from Dallas to Cleveland. An offshore storm brings high wind near the Northeast U.S. Corridor.

02/16/2026, 11:58 am EST

Patchy Rains Move across Brazil and Argentina; More Wet Weather Ahead for Brazil

The 7-day percent of normal rainfall observations identify the expected eastward shift of patchy rainfall across parts of Argentina and Brazil. This weekend and early next week, an upper trough spawns heavy rain in East Brazil as the forecast shifts much wetter.