Keep those snow tires on for now

February 2015 may go down as the coldest on record, but not here.

Despite the cooler temperatures early this week, as of Tuesday the average temperature at Spokane International Airport is about 8 degrees above normal. But while regions in the West have had milder-than-normal weather, east of the Rockies has been experiencing a series of arctic blasts. Cities near the Great Lakes, like Detroit and Cincinnati, reported low temperatures down to minus 12 degrees on Friday and New York City fell to 2 degrees. Readings in the single digits and teens were felt all the way down into the Southeast.

It’s been so cold that 79 percent of Lake Ontario is frozen over. The record is 86 percent in 1979. Last week, more than 4,700 square miles of ice formed over the Great Lakes in just one night thanks to the frigid temperatures. Lake Erie is almost completely frozen over at 96 percent while Lake Huron is 92 percent covered. Overall, about 85 percent of the Great Lakes are iced over with more frigid weather on the way.

Elsewhere, rare snow has been reported in parts of Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Jerusalem picked up 10 inches earlier this month, forcing the closure of all roads in and out of the city. Snow also was seen on the golden Dome of the Rock in Bethlehem.

Istanbul, Turkey, broke a 28-year-old record as snowfall measured 30 inches on Feb. 19. Nearly 200 trees have been upended thanks to the heavy snowfall.

 In our region, we’re not done with winter yet. It appears we’re going to see a series of storm systems from the north that will bring us occasional snow beginning late next week and continue into the middle of March.