When will springlike weather arrive for good?
Some folks have already had a taste of spring, and that will spread as the calendar flips to March. "Spring arrived early across much of the southern U.S. this year. Temperatures have been well above the historical average for February across Florida and much of the Gulf Coast region after January's historic winter storm that brought snow and a deep freeze to beaches along the Gulf," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Meteorological spring begins on Saturday, March 1, followed by astronomical spring on the equinox, which takes place at 5:01 a.m. EDT on Thursday, March 20. For millions in the East, consistent warmth will arrive between these two dates.
"We expect two more storms through March 10. Once those storms pass by, a pattern change will bring consistent springlike weather south of the I-70 corridor, across much of the mid-Atlantic, Southeast and South Central states," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said.
While milder air could occasionally reach into the Northeast and Midwest, it is still a bit too early to stash away winter coats and snow boots for the season.
"There can be some downturns with a high frequency of cold fronts expected this April and May from the Midwest to the Northeast. In fact, we have May turning near to below average in the Northeast," Pastelok said.
With the Jefferson Memorial in the background, Cherry Blossoms bloom in Washington, Tuesday, March 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Across the West Coast, more storms are in the offing, which could bring some spells of cooler weather but also some much-needed rain and mountain snow before the arrival of the dry season.
"There could be a few more opportunities for rain across parts of California through March. Drenching rainfall earlier this month has greatly reduced the risk of wildfires in Southern California through much of March," Lundberg explained.
Nationwide, days will become noticeably longer throughout March, with places like Seattle gaining more than 100 minutes of daylight.
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