Will Spring Be Snowy Or Mild? Forecast Released By Old Farmer's Almanac

NEW JERSEY — The first day of spring arrives this coming Sunday with the vernal equinox. But meteorological spring, or the conditions outside, count just as much — especially when we're getting an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day thanks to daylight saving time.

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

In New Jersey, storms this time of year can have a huge impact — such as the two recent weather events this month that damaged the commuter rail lines. And back on April 2, 2018, 7 inches of snow were dumped on the Garden State.

Getting a sense of the upcoming weather can always help with one's long-range planning. The Old Farmer's Almanac has been known for its folkish but prescient forecasts for 200 years.

Established in 1818, it publishes its annual extended spring forecast each year. It says it relies on a specific formula for its seasonal forecasts.

The Farmer’s Almanac customized its spring forecast for each of 18 zones, including the New Jersey area and popular vacation spots around the country.

The Almanac says that for the region from Boston down to Washington D.C., including New Jersey: "April and May will be warmer than normal, with rainfall near normal in the North and below normal in the South. Summer will be hotter and slightly drier than normal, with the hottest periods in mid-June and early to mid-July, from late July into early August, and in late August."

The Almanac says that 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.

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.

The Almanac expects "seasonable temperatures, dry" for the Northeast, similar to its competitor.

What about hurricanes? The Almanac says, "Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 (although they can occur any time – and NOAA is discussing moving the official start date earlier), with traditional peak activity on Sept. 10. Are you hurricane ready?"

With fatal flooding in New Jersey last year, it's important for local residents to keep watching local forecasts for the coming days. Predicting the weather is an imperfect science, but once the warnings are out close to the dates, residents can keep an eye on local news and forecasts to decide how to prepare.

Right now, local forecasters anticipate an intense period of April showers this Wednesday afternoon and evening in the Garden State.

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