Meteorological spring begins on March 1, and the vernal equinox on March 19 is considered the official first day of the season.
The forecast, released Friday, suggests Long Island weather will be drier than normal in March.
Most areas along the East Coast, except for Florida, are expected to see above-average temperatures in March, according to the forecast. An early spring is also expected in the eastern Ohio Valley and Great Lakes, from the Deep South to Texas and Oklahoma, the West Coast and Alaska.
Almost below normal March temperatures are expected in the rest of the country. And some areas along the mid-Atlantic, Appalachian and Rocky Mountains could find a wave of cold air and snow in March.
The outlook also shows that in much of the eastern U.S. will find drier than normal conditions in March, but other areas should expect more rainfall than normal. Prospects were also expected in April and May.
April
Overall, temperatures are expected to be above normal on Long Island.
Warm April temperatures are expected from New England to Florida and west across the Deep South to Texas, as well as parts of the northern and western Pacific and much of Alaska and eastern Hawaii, according to the forecast. Everyone else will have to wait to pack their sweaters and cool weather gear.
Rainfall on Long Island is expected to be normal to below normal. Overall, the forecast said, wetter-than-normal conditions are expected in the Southeast from southern Florida across the Deep South to the southern Plains and northward across the Heartland and much of Alaska. Elsewhere, near below normal rainfall is expected.
May
As for precipitation, near-below-normal rainfall is expected across the eastern region, including Long Island, the forecast said.
The Old Farmer's Almanac said nationally, spring rains are expected to continue in the same areas expected to see above-normal rainfall in April. Near-below-normal conditions are expected to persist elsewhere.
