Above-average rainfall forecast for the spring season
Meteorological spring begins on Friday and for climate record-keeping purposes we use the months of March, April and May as the spring season. In Huntsville, March averages 5.39 inches of rain, April averages 4.86 inches and May, 4.67 inches of rainfall. The average for the spring season is 14.92 inches of rainfall. The average temperature is 65.1 degrees in the city.
The Climate Prediction Center is forecasting the neutral phase of the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) cycle to develop this April with increasing odds of a La Niña by the summer. La Niña is the cooling of the equatorial Pacific waters and can influence jet stream patterns across the U.S. It’s predicted that Huntsville will see above-average rainfall and an equal chance of below or above-average temperatures this spring.
The influences of El Niño or La Niña are felt more in the winter but can have some effects during other seasons. La Niñas tend to lead to less wind shear in the Atlantic Ocean which can lead to more hurricane development if waters are warm enough.
The La Niña phase typically leads to warmer-than-average conditions in the Tennessee Valley with the jet stream farther north. Precipitation has varied during La Niña years and is related to the strength of La Niña.
Severe weather is more prominent across the Tennessee Valley during the spring months and the last few Marches have been stormy. April is climatologically the peak month for tornadoes across our area. Stay with the Weather Authority team as we track your forecast!
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