Friday's remarkable warmth kicked off a holiday weekend that is likely to find Minnesotans enjoying the outdoors in ways they usually only pine for in February.
The day's high of 63 smashed the previous Feb. 17 record of 55, and record highs are possible again Sunday and Monday. Even the nights will be unseasonably warm, with the mercury staying above the freezing mark right through next Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen.
Friday's high was just one degree shy of breaking the highest temperature for the entire month of February — 64 degrees, set in 1896.
Last year on Feb. 17, the high was 29 degrees with a low of 14 degrees.
Temperatures of 60 degrees in February are rare. There have only been four days on record when the temperature has reached 60 or above in the second month of the year: 1896, 1921, 1981 and 2000.
The February heat wave, reminiscent of 1930 and 1981, when the Twin Cities saw six consecutive days of readings of 50 degrees or higher, prompted Ben Johnson to ride his bike to his job at the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board offices. It was the earliest bike commute ever for him, he said.
Nick Schicker ditched his winter coat to sit outside the Hennepin County Government Center, where he works.
"I needed to get some vitamin D, so I decided to get outside," he said.
