After a cold weekend with highs of 25 and 30 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, noticeably milder air moved into the area Monday afternoon.
The official high of 38 degrees matched the warmest temperature recorded so far this month, first reached last Friday.
Some locations, particularly in the southern areas, climbed even higher into the low 40s.
February sunshine has also started to return. What began as the cloudiest start to the month since the early 1960s is gradually trending back toward normal levels.
Monday U.S. highs
Unseasonably warm air spread across much of the country for early February. Many communities throughout the central U.S. saw temperatures exceed 80 degrees. At least 42 million Americans experienced highs above 80 degrees, while nearly 107 million saw temperatures reach 70 degrees or higher.
Monday highs: Departure from normal
Temperatures soared well above average across the Midwest, running 25 to 37 degrees above normal from Texas to Nebraska.
Monday U.S. snow cover
Snow cover across the Lower 48 continues to decline, now sitting at 27%. That marks just 48% of the 56.1% coverage recorded two weeks ago.
Abnormal warmth sets numerous new records Monday