I would recommend you look at the maps and do a little research into your options and as you mark places of interest you can start to form a route. Travelling in February means that you should have no problem in finding available lodgings without booking in advance, so you can have a plan A and B, and even a plan C and then decide based on weather forecasts a few days before departure. I don't think anyone is saying don't go south if you want to go south, just don't do it based on the myth that the weather will certainly be better, but it is a possibility that it might be.