North Texas to break heat record for this February day. How about for entire month?

If Dallas-Fort Worth hits 90 degrees this afternoon it will match the hottest day of this February date in recorded history. Chances are the region will break the mark, perhaps even flirt with the month’s hottest day on record, if not today, then by Tuesday.

The National Weather Service forecast for the day calls for high temperatures in the low 90s in many parts of the region. It might even get hotter on Tuesday.

“Record-breaking heat is likely across much of North and Central Texas tomorrow afternoon, mainly along and west of the I-30 corridor where a stationary dry line will remain fixed in place,” National Weather Service meteorologist Hunter Reeves writes. “There is a medium chance [50-60%] for high temperatures to exceed 95 degrees [Tuesday] across much of our western counties.”

Historical temperature records show the region hitting 90 degrees on Feb. 26, 1917, which is 6 ticks under February’s hottest day ever recorded in 1904. The Metroplex has seen 90-plus degrees in February six times. The earliest the region experienced a 90-degree day in February was in 1911 with 91 on the first day of the month. Last year, North Texas recorded its first 90-degree day on Feb. 21.

For those anticipating the bluebonnet blooms, this round of above normal temperatures is a welcome development. The purple blooms are the pride of Texas, adopted by the 27th Texas Legislature as the state flower on March 7, 1901. Bluebonnets get their name from the flower’s individual bloom’s resemblance to the sunbonnets women wore to guard against the grueling Texas sun.