Old Farmers' Almanac Predicts A Warmer MA Spring, Less April Rain

MASSACHUSETTS — The first day of spring is Sunday, March 20, with the vernal equinox, but meteorological spring is the one that counts when it comes to getting outside — especially when we get an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day when daylight saving time begins.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac said in its spring 2022 forecast that warmer-than-normal spring temperatures, except in the desert Southwest and Florida, where temperatures are expected to be slightly below normal this spring.

Precipitation will be above normal in parts of the South; the Midwest; a large swath of the western United States, stretching from the Rockies into the Pacific Northwest, and from Arizona westward into California; and in Hawaii.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac customized its spring forecast for each of 18 zones. Massachusetts is split into two regions, with the eastern part of the state considered the "Atlantic Corridor" and the western half in the "Northeast."

In the Atlantic corridor, the start of spring is expected to be a bit warmer, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Average temperatures for April are projected to be 57 degrees, which is 5 degrees above average. In the Northeast region, 48 degrees is the average expected for April, which is 2 degrees above average.

There should also be some rain, especially at the end of March, but forecasts show less in April. April is expected to see 2.5 inches, which is an inch below average. The Northeast will also see an inch less of rain — 2 inches, according to the Old Farmer' Almanac

Released last month, the competing Farmers’ Almanac spring outlook calls for unseasonably cold temperatures on the first day of spring.

Overall, Northern-tier states will see near-normal temperatures, while Southern-tier states will see somewhat cooler-than-normal conditions. The one exception is the Southwest, where it will be warm to hot.

Also, the second week of May is expected to be unseasonably cool across much of the United States.

A wetter-than-normal spring is expected over the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Midwest and South Central States, while the opposite is expected in the Northeast and Southwest.

A “meteorological swizzle stick” is expected to stir up snow, wind, rain and severe thunderstorms, with some possibly spawning tornadoes, from the Rockies through the Plains.