Is an early spring really on its way? Here are the weather predictions.
A slice of hope blossomed when a certain little groundhog didn’t see his shadow on Groundhog Day. It is the first time Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring since 2020.
Considering Phil has been right only about 39% of the time, according to the Stormfax Weather Almanac, we could end up disappointed in the hope that the winter hibernation won’t last six more weeks.
It may make the odds a little better, as the Old Farmer’s Almanac is also calling for an early spring on the East Coast. They bill themselves as being right 80% of the time, but according to a 2010 University of Illinois study they are only correct about 52% of the time while the Farmer's Almanac is 50% accurate.
The most accurate of the spring predictions comes from Accuweather, which says spring snow isn’t out of the question.
"It could come in like a lion in the East," AccuWeather Veteran Meteorologist and Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said on their website. "We may have a pretty stormy pattern from late February to the start of March."
Even with some low percentage of accuracy, there is nothing wrong with looking forward to having sunshine on its way. Let’s see what they are predicting for the next couple of months:
March weather predictions
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is calling for above-average temperatures in March along the East Coast, predicting it will be a pretty dry month.
It’s a different prediction for the Farmer’s Almanac, which says March will be cold and wet, starting the season off cloudy and cool.
Opportunities for snowstorms are still open through the first half of March, according to Accuweather. However, halfway through the month, the weather pattern may switch up leading to a warmer second half of March.
April Weather predictions
Warmer than normal temps could be headed our way in April if the Old Farmer’s Almanac is right, but not before a possible April Fool’s Day storm not bringing jokes but cold snowy weather.
Snow is on for April with the Farmer’s Almanac as well, anticipating long cold days.
Even Accuweather sees snow on the horizon for April, although meteorologists see the odds of meaningful accumulation low. They are also seeing the area having an abundance of rainfall triggering flooding in the area.
May weather predictions
We can expect a warm, wet May riddled with thunderstorms if we listen to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It calls for warmer than average temps and highlights how common tropical storms have been for the area at this time.
The Farmer’s Almanac’s predictions call for a cool weather April with the possibility of severe weather.
It is also looking like severe weather for April in Accuweather’s forecast, calling for high winds and a very wet month.
Snow or sunshine may be for debate, much like a coin toss, but one thing looks for certain — keep your umbrellas and rain boots handy for the next couple of months.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Spring weather predictions in New Bedford and Fall River
