February Thaw is Starting - What Can You Expect for Averages?

The last month of the meteorological winter is here, meaning that spring is right around the corner. While there are no absolutes when it comes to the weather, there are definitive trends to look at when trying to determine when you can expect warmer temperatures in your specific area. Here is a look at when the mercury typically begins to rise across the U.S.

Overall Trends for Temperatures During the Spring Months

In general, February is when you can expect to see temperatures begin to trend upward as string inches closer. In the area east of the Rocky Mountains, the rise in the temperatures tends to happen in a uniform motion from south to north. The upward progression in the western third of the country is not as steady thanks to the complicated influence of the many mountain ranges of this region and the effects of the Pacific Ocean.

Historical data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) helps to deliver a clearer picture of when the gradual warmup heading into spring will begin. When looking at the three months of the meteorological summer, the northern half of the U.S. generally sees the mercury increase from daytime highs in the 20s, 30s, and 40s in February to the 50s and 60s by April. By the end of May, you can expect daily high readings to hover in the 60s and 70s consistently.

It is a different situation in the southern half of the country with high temperatures in the 50s and 60s in February being replaced by top readings in the 70s and 80s by April and May for most of the area. It is not uncommon to see the temperatures hit the 90s by May across the Texas Rio Grande region.

Heading to the west, the interior portion of the region tends to see highs bounce around in the 60s and 70s by the time the calendar flips to May. The higher terrains of the Rockies are slow to warm up, settling in the 50s for average highs. It is the opposite story in the Desert Southwest with highs climbing from the 70s in February to the upper 80s and 90s in May.

Average High Temperatures Throughout the Spring

Looking at a few specific cities, Atlanta sees an average high of 55 degrees on February 1. This jumps to an average of 66 degrees by March 15, 74 degrees on April 15, and a steamy 81 degrees on May 15.

It is slightly warmer in Dallas. The metroplex averages a high of 59 degrees for a high when the month of February kicks off. By March 15, this reading climbs to 68 degrees. The average high in Dallas on April 15 shoots up to 76 degrees before reaching a top reading of about 83 degrees by the middle of May.

The nation's hot spot of Phoenix sees a similar progression but with much warmer temperatures across the board. After an average high of 69 degrees on February 1, the Valley of the Sun sees a typical high of 78 degrees on March 15. This reading climbs to 85 degrees by April 15 before averaging in the mid 90s by the middle of May.