NOAA Releases Spring Pennsylvania Weather Forecast
It seems as if no matter where you live in the United States, you were hit with cold weather during the winter months this past season, including in Pennsylvania. Even areas that are usually immune to freezing cold temperatures got some form of chill during the long winter months, and that makes spring so much sweeter. Well, it’s officially spring, and the spring forecast is here.
While both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Farmer’s Almanac have projected spring weather for a while now, because spring is officially here, these forecasts are more accurate than they were even just a month ago. So, what should we expect from Mother Nature as we head into the spring and summer months?
Official NOAA Pennsylvania Spring Forecast
While having an accurate spring forecast can be great for people who want to soak up the sun, it actually takes on a greater meaning. “The Spring Outlook provides critical information for our partners — including those in agriculture, shipping and recreation — allowing them to prepare for what’s ahead this spring and maximize their economic potential,” Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, explains.
Looking at the full country, in the official NOAA spring forecast, they generally call for a dry spring in the West and milder spring in the South and East. Some good news is that experts at NOAA’s National Water Center believe that “widespread major flooding is not expected this spring across the CONUS, and significantly reduced flood risk exists over much of the U.S., given above-average temperatures, combined with well-below-average snowpack over the Northern Plains, Midwest and Ohio Valley.”
Now, let’s get to Pennsylvania. While much of the state is expected to have “no drought,” the concerning thing is that in the Philly area and eastern half of the state, the NOAA has the area marked as “drought persists,” so about half of the state will continue to see dry conditions. In addition, as for temperatures, the NOAA expects above-average temperatures for the state and the rest of the U.S, including areas that had colder-than-average temperatures and heavier-than-usual snowfall during the winter.
So, how does this compare to the recently release Farmer’s Almanac spring weather prediction? It’s pretty much on target, since the Farmer’s Almanac’s forecast calls for warmer temperatures and some wetness. They add that part of this trend is because of a solar cycle. “High solar activity levels have historically been linked to warmer temperatures, on average, across Earth, although this relationship has become weaker in recent decades,” they explain.
