Maryland Spring Forecast: Risk Of Snow Is Over

MARYLAND — While we can still see cool mornings, Sunday officially ushered in the first day of spring that could be warmer and wetter than normal, according to the National Weather Service.

The long-range forecast from NOAA calls for a dry spring for much of the country with a worsening drought. Maryland may be an exception, with predictions calling for more precipitation than normal in the state.

The vernal equinox happened at 11:33 a.m. ET and marked the instant the sun shines directly on the Earth's equator, USA Today said.

Each day for the next three months, the amount of daylight increase until the summer solstice on June 21.

It should be safe for Marylanders to pack away their snow gear, Accuweather said Friday.

"We do feel that anywhere from Philadelphia southward to D.C. and into the Carolinas and the Gulf Coast is pretty much safe," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist and Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said. The region likely won't see "snowfall for the rest of the season.”

NOAA issued its U.S. spring outlook Friday and for the second year in a row, forecasters predict prolonged, persistent drought in the West, where below-average precipitation is most likely.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center — part of the National Weather Service — is also forecasting above-average temperatures for most of the U.S. from the Desert Southwest to the East Coast and north through the Midwest to the Canadian border from April to June.

Above-average precipitation is most likely in portions of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and the mid-Atlantic.

“NOAA’s spring outlook helps build a more weather and climate ready nation by informing local decision makers and emergency managers of this spring’s hazardous weather, such as extreme drought,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide advanced warning of the conditions to come, enabling communities to make preparations that boost their resilience to these hazards.”

Nearly 60 percent of the continental U.S. is in the midst of minor to exceptional drought conditions, the largest drought coverage seen in the U.S. since 2013, the agency said.

Short-term drought recently developed from North Carolina to Florida.

More than half of the U.S. is predicted to experience above-average temperatures this spring, with the greatest chances in the Southern Rockies and Southern Plains. Below-average temperatures are most likely in the Pacific Northwest and southeast Alaska, NOAA said.

Here's the latest Maryland forecast:

Sunday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 59. West wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 41. Northwest wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 67. West wind 5 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Calm wind.