Fredhog Follow-Up: Is Winter Over?

By: Dan Bickford | News Channel 7
Published: February 10, 2009 | 0 Comments | Post a Comment

As previously seen on Daybreak (and right here on-line!), Fredhog popped out on Feb. 2, did not see a shadow, and we gleefully declared an early spring. This despite a very cold air mass that was moving in.

Since then, the pendulum has swung the other way. Temperatures have been well above normal for a string of days, and spring has been in the air.

Our forecasts have been touting a cooldown for the weekend, with temperatures heading back to "near-normal" readings for this time of year. And there are signs that early next week will be more February-like to our weather than April-like. But the question is...are we finished with winter?

The answer: probably not, definitely not if you have a loose definition of winter.

There does not appear to be any pattern in place that would suggest a predisposition to either above or below average temperatures over the next month or so. Which means we're at the whim of nature's randomness...we're as likely to see another round of warm, quiet weather as we are to see another blast of colder air. So some flirtations with winter weather can not be ruled out.

Of course, if you go with the "loose" interpretation of winter, and you're waiting for us to be finished with any frosts or freezes so that you can get that outdoor planting underway, we're definitely not done with winter, and you're going to have to wait a little. Our final freeze in the Upstate averages late March, but has been as late as April 19 as recently as 2001. The final mountain freeze is typically in mid to late April, but has been as late as May.

So go ahead and root for spring, unless you suffer from pollen allergies…the trees pollen is already in the air!