February brought record breaking temperatures to the Kansas City area. February averaged about 43 degrees, significantly warmer than the usual 33 degrees. February typically brings 6 inches of snow.  

The average high temperature averaged about 55 degrees. February 2026 brought the second warmest February in Kansas City’s since 1887. There was a lack of precipitation as well. February only brought .59 inches of rain, when Kansas City tends to get around 1.48 inches of rain around this time. 

 The 2025-2026 school year has only brought one snow day and one delayed start. This is a stark contrast to the past school years, in which the schedule had to be adjusted for the fourth quarter to make up for lost time. Kansas schools are required to have 1,116 hours of instructional time for students in grades 1-11. While seniors are required to have 1,086 instructional hours. 

 The Olathe School District typically allows four snow days, before time needs to start being made up. During the fourth quarter of the 2023-2024 school year, the start time was moved from 8 a.m. to 7:50. In the fourth quarter of 2024-2025, the end time was moved from 2:40 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. 

“I think the district is scared of using snow days because of last year, they definitely should’ve used one during that snow earlier in the year. I do like their idea of the 2 hour delay, everyone looks actually refreshed and happy to be at school compared to going in at 7am. Snow days are beneficial,” said junior Abby Cobb.