When Will It Feel Like Spring In MI: Farmers’ Almanac Outlook

MICHIGAN — Meteorological spring started Wednesday, and the first official day of spring isn’t until the vernal equinox on March 20. But when will it start to feel like spring in Michigan?

It may be a good idea to hold off on spring garden cleanup and let fallen leaves protect ornamental plants a little longer in many areas of the country, according to the Farmers’ Almanac long-range spring weather forecast.

In Michigan, the Farmers’ Almanac is predicting a cool and stormy spring season. The magazine predicts it will continue snowing into April throughout the Great Lakes region. In addition, "frequent heavy-to-severe thunderstorms" will make their way into the region from the south.

The first day of spring is likely to feel more like winter in much of the country. The exceptions are in far western states Washington, Oregon, Idaho and the Southwest, and the Northeast. Temperatures are expected to be mild in both regions of the country.

Almost everyone else should be prepared to “shiver and shovel,” according to the forecast for a “soggy, shivery spring ahead.”

People living in the nation’s midsection should prepare for an active spring. In the Great Lakes states, that’s likely to mean more snow into April. In the heartland, frequent heavy-to-severe thunderstorms are predicted.

Southeast states are likely in for a wet March in a weather pattern that will spread north and west from April through June.

• Related: Winter Isn’t Done Yet: AccuWeather Spring Forecast