Above-Average Temps Herald The Equinox: Hudson Valley Forecast

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — With the weekend's wintry storm behind us, we're looking at a lead-up to spring that will actually feel closer t0 summer.

Temperatures are expected to soar again, up to the level they hit March 6 — when they broke a record in the region. The warmest day will be Friday, when it's supposed to hit 70 degrees F in southern Westchester.

"Average highs are in the mid 40s this time of year," Alex Marra and Bill Potter of Hudson Valley Weather pointed out.

At the vernal equinox, which will occur on Sunday, temps will be still above average.

Yes, traditionally we used to think of the first day of spring as March 21, but it's March 20. (That's not as early as in 2020, when it happened at 11:50 p.m. EDT March 19, but given what was going on in March 2020, who was paying attention?)

It's cosmic. Things going on in space, including the Earth's elliptical orbit pattern, its axial tilt and the gravitational pull of the other planets, affect the equinox and solstice dates. Space.com has a detailed explanation if you're interested. Suffice it to say that the vernal equinox in the Hudson Valley won't wait till March 21 until 2102.

It's local. SEE: Hudson Valley Spring Peepers, Salamanders Crossing The Roads

The exact time of the 2022 equinox: 11:33 a.m.

Here's the 7-day forecast based on southern Westchester County:

• Monday - Sunny. Not as cool with highs in the lower 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Monday night - Mostly cloudy in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Tuesday - Mostly sunny. Highs around 60. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
• Tuesday Night - Mostly cloudy in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Lows around 40. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph, becoming west after midnight.
• Wednesday - Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. Northwest winds around 5 mph, becoming southwest in the afternoon.
• Wednesday Night - Partly cloudy in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.
• Thursday - Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain. Highs in the lower 60s.
• Thursday Night - Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the mid 40s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
• Friday - Mostly sunny. Highs around 70.
• Friday Night - Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
• Saturday - Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Highs in the upper 50s.
• Saturday Night - Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of showers. Lows in the lower 40s.
• Sunday - Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.

Patch Editor Beth Dalbey contributed to this report.