Warm weather has residents looking toward spring

The start of spring is right around the corner, but while we were able to bask in early warmth yesterday, millions will still be reaching for their winter coats -- and potentially their snow shovels.

Springlike weather is just around the corner with warmer days, budding plants and blooming flowers. However, don't put away your snow boots and winter coats just yet, the changing of the seasons will come with some twists and turns, including snow, frost and a wintry chill for millions.

Meteorological spring gets underway on Saturday, March 1, while the March equinox marks the beginning of astronomical spring, which is at 5:01 a.m. EST on Thursday, March 20.

The first weeks of spring may feel more like winter across the northern half of the United States as there is a turbulent transition between the seasons.

This past January was one of the coldest in years, causing more ice to form on the Great Lakes. The extensive ice cover will suppress temperatures across the Midwest and parts of the Northeast through the start of spring.

In the Pacific Northwest, the colder start to spring will be due to a persistent pattern of stormy weather. 

Lingering wintry weather will be a concern for farmers and gardeners alike across the East with late frost. A late frost is also possible across the Carolinas in March, which can lead to same damage to sensitive plants.

Frosty mornings will be more common across the Ohio Valley, central Appalachians and interior Northeast. 

The tug-of-war between milder spring air and bursts of colder air could open the door for some late-season snow, especially across the interior Northeast and the Midwest, although snowfall is likely to be less frequent than in January and February.

The potential for snow, combined with the persistent chill, will benefit ski resorts across the East that have struggled with mild winters and little natural snow over the past few years.

The upcoming severe weather season is expected to resemble last year's, with the frequency of damaging storms and tornadoes increasing as spring progresses. However, a key difference will be the epicenter of destructive storms.

While March is not expected to have as many tornadoes as April and May, residents across the Plains and Southeast should remain vigilant. 

Spring warmth will waste no time arriving for millions across the southern United States, with summerlike heat even making an early appearance in some cities.

Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas are predicted to see some of the warmest weather, where temperatures throughout the spring could average more than 4 degrees above the historical average.

Expanding and worsening drought paired with long spells of unusually warm weather will also set the stage for explosive wildfires from the Southwest into the Plains. This includes the Texas Panhandle where fast-moving fires scorched over 1,600 square miles of land from late February into early March of 2024.

One of the biggest factors meteorologists take into consideration when creating long-range forecasts is the water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, as it can have far-reaching effects on weather patterns around the world.

Currently, La Niña conditions are ongoing, with water temperatures in this region reaching the threshold for a La Niña in late December. This phenomenon is the cold counterpart to El Niño.

La Niña can shift where the core of severe weather erupts over the U.S. during the spring and determine which part of the West Coast is the focal point of storms from the Pacific, and which parts of the country have more cooldowns than dramatic warmups.

The ongoing La Niña is not the traditional setup, with the coolest waters over the central Pacific, rather than the eastern Pacific.

Rowan County Weather will be right here as always to keep you updated with what to expect around the county and the area as we begin the transition form cooler to wamer temperatures over the next few months.