The long-awaited arrival of milder air is finally within reach. Next week is shaping up to bring a surge of warmer temperatures into Connecticut, with highs climbing into the 50s (and possibly even the 60s in some spots). With the sun rising higher in the sky each day this time of year, the odds of another major snowstorm are steadily declining. Still, I wouldn’t put the snow shovel away just yet.
After all, it is still March, which is very much a transition month. It’s common to see swings between lingering winter chill and early hints of spring warmth, and that volatility can sometimes play out quickly. In fact, we may get a reminder of that as soon as Thursday night, when icy conditions could develop in parts of the state.
A combination of sleet and freezing rain closed schools in parts of Connecticut earlier this week. (Dan Amarante)
Climatologically, Connecticut’s final accumulating snowfall of the season typically occurs in mid- to late-March. But there are notable exceptions. In this week’s video, I take a look back at storms like the April Fool’s Day blizzard of 1997, which brought 1 to 2 feet of snow across southern New England, arriving just one year after a record-shattering winter season.
Looking ahead, forecast models are signaling several days of above-normal temperatures next week before a likely return to more typical March conditions later in the month. That broader pattern is also reflected in temperature outlooks from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, which favor milder-than-average conditions in the near term.
Above-normal temperatures are likely across much of the country between March 10-14, according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. (NOAA / Climate Prediction Center)
This article originally published at After a cold and snowy winter, what are CT’s chances of seeing snow this spring?.
