We Asked A Meteorologist About What's In Store For Spring 2021

For the past several months, the U.S. has been in a La Niña pattern, explains meteorologist Heather Waldman, which means the water at the surface of the Eastern Pacific is a bit cooler than normal. "For the most part, we saw that pattern pan out through the winter, and it certainly did make things more active in the northeastern U.S.," she explains, noting that a lot of the major cities along the East Coast saw significant snowfall this year.

With the La Niña pattern still going strong, Waldman says that same frequent storminess will likely be maintained; except now, it'll be rain instead of snow. "As the air gets warmer, the chance for snow lessens, which means we're looking at a chance for more frequent rain events in the Northeast and the Great Lakes region, in particular." And for other parts of the U.S., including the Midwest, Southeast, and the plains, "this unfortunately really ramps up the potential for severe weather," she says.

But the good news is, at the very least, "The big cold blasts like what we saw in mid-February are definitely behind us at this point, because now that it's mid-March, we've got the same sun angle as mid-September, and in mid-April, it's the same sun angle as mid-August," Waldman says.

Now, if you're someone who struggles with seasonal allergies, particularly during spring, here's where you'll want to pay attention. Waldman tells mbg we're coming out of a relatively wet winter, and some of the outlooks she's seen are calling for a warmer than normal, and wetter than normal, spring.

"When it comes to allergies, wetter than normal can aggravate mold allergies," she says, "but it may keep pollen levels low."