3 U.S. Regions Where Winter Will End the Earliest This Year
This winter has been one of the more brutal in recent memory. From a seemingly never-ending polar vortex to a historically huge blizzard and ice storm that snarled travel for days, the back-to-back hits of frigid temperatures and weather events have made it feel like this season might never end. Fortunately, as we move through February, we also get closer to springtime and those much-needed warmer temperatures. But which places will see the thaw first? Read on for U.S. regions where winter will end the earliest, according to meteorologists.
RELATED: 4 U.S. Regions Where Winter Storms Are Becoming More Extreme.
1. The South
It may not come as too much of a surprise, but given expected upcoming changes in weather patterns, many states in the lower latitudes are expected to be some of the first to get that refreshing taste of spring.
According to the latest long-range forecast from AccuWeather, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and all of Texas are slated to see a “faster” transition into the next season from February to March. While that initial return to warmth might feel nice, meteorologists also warn that this could create some problematic conditions.
“You go back to last year, it was pretty warm,” AccuWeather long-range expert Paul Pastelok said. “In fact, we had the second-warmest spring on record last year. This area of the country again could feel early heat.”
2. The Southwest
Other states along the Sun Belt can also expect a relatively quick departure for winter. Places like southern Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern Nevada are all expected to see a “faster” transition to spring, according to AccuWeather.
However, there’s an important caveat with this bit of good news. Meteorologists cautioned that the upcoming rise in temperatures is also expected to bring drier conditions to the area, which could worsen an ongoing drought there.
“We are not expecting significant rainfall for this region. Spotty large fires can break out across this region during the spring,” Pastelok warned in his forecast.
RELATED: 4 U.S. Regions Where Winters Are Getting Shorter the Fastest.
3. Southern California
After a mild winter filled with some intense rainfall, the Golden State appears to be heading towards spring. The southern two-thirds of California (beginning inland from the Bay Area and stretching south through Los Angeles and San Diego) is also expected to see a “faster” transition to spring, per the AccuWeather forecast. Still, drier conditions could remain an issue here.
And the northern states will likely have to wait.
If you live in the higher latitudes and you’ve been reading through this hoping for some good news, this is not your lucky day. The northern half of the U.S. (including the Great Lakes region and Midwest) won’t see any sustained changes to the weather anytime soon.
“A slower transition to persistent spring warmth can occur from the northern Rockies to the Northeast,” said Pastelok. He explained that while there may be occasional spurts of slightly warmer weather, they will still be cut down by returning cold blasts, likely until May. Ouch!