Michigan: NOAA’s Seasonal Outlook Brings Relief to Midwest
Are you ready for spring and a better seasonal outlook? For the majority of Americans in the United States, after the brutal winter the country has been experiencing, the answer…
Are you ready for spring and a better seasonal outlook? For the majority of Americans in the United States, after the brutal winter the country has been experiencing, the answer is "yes." The first day of spring, called the Spring Equinox, is set for March 20 at 10:46 a.m. ET, so it's coming. Even though we have to wait several weeks for spring to officially start, the good news is that the United States is in line to get spring-like weather before then.
NOAA's Seasonal Outlook for February Through April
First, let's talk about spring. In 2026, the first day of spring falls on a Friday, and it marks the "astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere," according to research from the Farmer's Almanac.
"In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox (also called the March equinox or vernal equinox across the globe) occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north," the Almanac explains. "It's called the celestial equator because it's an imaginary line in the sky above Earth's equator. Imagine standing on the equator; the Sun would pass directly overhead on its way north."
Time and Date adds, "In meteorology, the spring season begins on a different date. Also, some countries don't have fixed season dates but determine the start and end of spring based on average temperatures." In fact, the meteorological spring in the Northern Hemisphere starts on March 1 and runs through May 31, so it's the months of March, April and May.
Now, let's get to spring in the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its report and seasonal outlook February through April in the U.S.
In the report, the NOAA projects that most of the lower half of the country will see a chance of above-normal temperatures during that three-month period. The central area, including the Midwest and Northeast, is looking at normal weather for that period. Finally, only the most northern parts of the country, in the middle of the U.S., are projected to get below-normal weather.
What's the seasonal outlook for this state? Michigan is looking at normal temperatures for February through April and above normal precipitation for that period. After the winter we've had, that doesn't sound so bad. Reach out to the author with your thoughts.
