Springtime brings warmer, volatile weather to Butler County
On Sunday, March 22, temperatures were in the high 70s and the sun was shining. That night, thunderstorms hit the region and by Monday, March 23, sleet and temperatures in the mid-30s took hold in Butler.
As we enter the spring season, weather can fluctuate wildly.
While April approaching likely means warmer temperatures for the region are near, that can change from year to year, according to Andrew Kienzle of the National Weather Service’s Pittsburgh office.
“We’re expecting temperatures to trend up as we get into April. I hope we’re past our last night in the 20s and that we’re nearing a point with the last night below freezing,” Kienzle said. “But each year is different. As we head further into spring, we’ll see that shift.”
The Climate Prediction Center, which is run by the weather service, has longer range forecasts showing “near normal” weather conditions for this time of year.
“As we get through the last week of March into the first week of April, expect temps to be near normal for this time of year. Right now, using weather sites here in Pittsburgh, we’re looking at average temperatures in the low 50s and low temperatures right around freezing,” Kienzle said. “That can fluctuate on daily scales.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the daily average for the Pittsburgh region, recorded at Pittsburgh International Airport, is 51.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Average daily highs for April are about 62 degrees and average daily lows are about 40 degrees.
However, recorded temperatures can stretch way past those marks, creating an environment of unpredictability in Western Pennsylvania springs. The all time recorded high was 90 degrees, which happened in April of both 1896 and 1925, while the all time low was 11 degrees in April of 1923.
Local weather is affected by long term, continental patterns, Kienzle said. Recently, we have had warmer temperatures followed by suddenly cooler conditions over the next couple days. Entering April, those sudden shifts should become less frequent, he said.
“A lot of that has to do with prevailing patterns over the continent. Patterns in last week or so, we had warm temperatures out west and cooler air in the east, and prevailing upper level tracking storms moving through north of the region,” Kienzle said.
Based on previous years’ data, Kienzle said the last day we see below freezing temperatures, on average, is around April 17, but has occurred as late as mid-May. On average, he said, the first day above 75 degrees occurs around April 4. However, it has occurred as early as Feb. 8 and as late as May 9.
The first day of 85 degree temperatures occurs around May 20 on average, he said.
