If SC is warmer than normal now, what does that mean for spring weather? What NOAA predicts
It’s not just you.
South Carolina has been warmer than usual this week for this time of year, even reaching a record high temperature on Thursday. Does that mean the Palmetto State could face more warmer than usual weather once spring really kicks in?
Well, if the latest three-month forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center is any indication, South Carolinians might want to stock up on shorts.
According to the latest forecast from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, temperatures have a 40%-50% chance of leaning above normal in March, April and May. Spring officially begins on March 20.
It’s already been an abnormally warm week for South Carolina.
“We are above normal and we are going to be above normal into next week,” said Emily Carpenter, meteorologist with NWS West Columbia.
Carpenter noted that the Columbia airport recorded a record high temperature of 83 degrees on Thursday, beating the previous high of 82 degrees, set in 1962.
Carpenter said that South Carolina’s above normal temperatures could be attributed to the state being in an extended period of high pressure, which has let warmer weather move in from the Gulf and other areas.
“It’s kind of a typical winter pattern but it’s more pronounced this year,” she said.
Farmer’s Almanac spring predictions
The Farmer’s Almanac has predicted plenty of rain for South Carolina and the Southeast this spring.
Farmer’s Almanac says to expect rain and showers on March 20, followed by more showers across the Carolinas the following week.
Expect scattered showers in early April. However, Farmer’s Almanac notes that the weather should be dry and pleasant for Easter on April 9 and for the much of the Masters Tournament in nearby Augusta, which will run from April 6-9 this year.
South Carolina should see continued showers and thunderstorms through much of May.
Founded in 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac uses a secret formula that includes components such as “sunspot activity, tidal action, the position of the planet,” to predict long-range weather forecasts. The forecasts are typically made two years in advance. Fans of the Farmers’ Almanac have, over the years, calculated that the predictions are accurate 80-85% of the time.
