The last time we experienced above freezing temperatures in southeast Wisconsin was the afternoon of Feb. 4 and it's likely we won't get above freezing again until the end of the month. While this cold snap is nowhere near historic levels it definitely has been our first big cold temperature anomaly since the end of January 2019.
The big question is, when will it end? In short, not anytime soon but there is some hope on the horizon but you'll have to be patient. Almost the entire eastern United States is favored to experience below-average temperatures through Feb. 19.
There are many reasons we're experiencing below-average temperatures but the main point is an arctic airmass has been parked just to our north and is very slowly shifting east. Air that is typically locked over the Arctic Ocean has shifted into parts of Canada and as a result, has us brutally stuck in the grips of winter.
Interestingly, this southern shift of cold air has allowed warmer than average temperatures to take its place in areas otherwise typically considered the arctic circle in northern Europe and Asia.
While we can't guarantee a specific date we'll go above freezing it does appear the colder than average temperature trend does loosen by the end of the month. From Feb. 17-23 we're still favored to experience below-average temperatures but the severity of which is expected to be much more typical.
If this trend continues we should be back to average by the end of February.