Climate Prediction Center Releases Spring Weather Outlook

UNDATED -- After a rollercoaster ride of temperatures throughout the winter months, what can we expect for this spring?

The Climate Prediction Center released its three month spring weather outlook for March, April and May.

They say much of the country, including here in Minnesota, is leaning to be warmer than normal overall.

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As for precipitation chances, the Climate Prediction Center says we should be pretty close to normal here in the upper Midwest.

The southwest part of the country will be drier than normal, while the great lakes region could be above normal.

All signs are pointing to a pretty normal spring flooding season. Craig Schmidt is a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen:

Our soil moisture is pretty close to normal. Our frost depth is two-to-three feet in the north about a foot in the south which is also pretty normal this time of year. The snowpack is also very much to normal. A little dryer in the southwest part of the state a little more than normal in the north.

Schmidt says the only threat of major flooding is along the Red River. He says the snowpack is high in this area and soil moisture is back above normal.

Minnesota is coming off a severe drought in 2021, with much of the state considered to be in a drought or abnormally dry.