web1_TTL030217Forbes1CMYK.jpg

Magazine editor Steve Forbes offers advice to Wilkes University students

web1_juvie-detention-center.jpg

Future of Luzerne County juvenile detention center debated again

<p>Weather-wise, February had a little of everything &#8212; snow, rain, cold temperatures and even a tornado.</p><p>But it also had plenty of unseasonably warm days, making it the warmest February on record in the Wyoming Valley, according to the National Weather Service.</p><p>The average temperature for the month was 37.8 degrees, topping the previous high of 36.5 set in 1954. The all-time average for the month is 27.7, while the coldest February on record came in 1934 when residents of the Wyoming Valley had to deal with an average temperature of 15.4 degrees.</p><p>Even the final day of the month tied a record as Tuesday&#8217;s high of 64, matched a record set in 1903.</p><p>Area residents can expect to see more unseasonably warm temperatures, according the weather service. Thanks to the pattern of La Nina in the Pacific Ocean, the service is calling for &#8220;fairly mild&#8221; weather for the remaining part of winter.</p><p>Karen Hightower, of Kingston, was enjoying the warm temperatures on Wednesday, ignoring the rain and spending some time on her bicycle in downtown Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>&#8220;I drive, but I enjoy the fresh air,&#8221; Hightower said.</p><p>She received the bike as Christmas present but was afraid she wasn&#8217;t going to be using it until springtime.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not going to complain getting to break it in before I take it on the trails,&#8221; she said.</p><p>Laura Keller, of Wilkes-Barre, said she felt like she was &#8220;more productive&#8221; and less stressed during the month of February than she did in January.</p><p>&#8220;(Less stressed) because of less threats of (snow) storms,&#8221; Keller said.</p><p>Book-ending the mild temperatures throughout the month was a snow storm within the first 10 days and a tornado in the last weekend.</p><p>Preliminary data from the Nation Weather Service indicate there were just four days below the 32-degree freezing point during the month six. The Wyoming Valley was, however, coated with a blanket of snow Feb. 9, 7.5 inches at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to be exact.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/633430/wyoming-valley-residents-make-use-of-a-snow-day" target="_blank">The late February storm, which b</a>rought with it <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/638143/tornado-touches-down-in-pittston-township" target="_blank">an EF2 tornado</a>, caused road closures, flooding, power outages and cancellations of activities around the area.</p><p>Looking forward, snow showers may return for the weekend, but the weather service said the highs should be around 40 until next week with lows in the mid to upper 20s.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_warmest-feb-temperature-3-2-2017.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">FOR WEB</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_warmest-feb-temperature-3-2-2017.jpg</photo0><caption0>FOR WEB</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko</p></shirttailMeta></div>

NWS: February was warmest on record