The 'Thunder Balk' Heard 'Round The Ballpark

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C​hilly, wintry conditions have prevailed across much of the western and central United States so far this year and have many eager for a persistent warm pattern to develop.

To find out when this typically happens, we took a look at when, on average, selected cities across the U.S. see their first 70- or 80-degree day based on climatological averages. We also examined the earliest and latest these temperatures were first reached.

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Springlike warmth typically emerges in late March and early April, but some areas wait until closer to May to regularly experience these warm conditions.

(MAPS: Average Monthly Temperatures)

It's important to note that different parts of the country think of and experience spring differently. Highs in the 60s are reminiscent of spring in the northern tier, but farther south, many people still wear light jackets or sweaters until highs top out in the 70s. For some, spring even means temperatures closer to 80 degrees.

Northeast Waits Until April

The first 70-degree day happens by the end of March for most locations in the mid-Atlantic and interior Northeast. Areas closer to Washington, D.C., reach that milestone in February. Parts of New England and upstate New York don't normally hit 70 degrees until April.

Most of the Northeast will wait until April to see temperatures in the 80s. The latest initial 80-degree day has occurred in late May or June.

This year, temperatures were much warmer than average this February and a high of 81 degrees was observed on Feb. 23 in Washington, D.C. Temperatures soared to 70 degrees in New York and Pittsburgh in February.

The first glimpse of milder conditions has come as early as January for most cities in the Northeast. The earliest 70-degree temperatures recorded for much of the region are in early January. Late January into mid-February is when the first 60-degree temperature of the year is usually recorded here, although the average first high in the 60s isn't until April 7.

And though it warms noticeably in March and April, temperatures still typically drop below freezing well into spring. Washington, D.C., usually sees the last day at or below 32 degrees around March 24, while Burlington, Vermont, waits until May 3.

South Warms Up Earlier

Milder conditions arrive in the South much sooner than in the Northeast. Temperatures in the 70s typically occur in January, although the latest 70-degree temperatures on record in Atlanta and Nashville are in early April. It won't feel like spring for many in the South until temperatures climb well into the 70s.

The first 80-degree day usually occurs in mid-February in Dallas and New Orleans, while much of the Southeast waits until March. Highs in the 80s have occurred in January in much of the South. Atlanta has waited until early May for its first 80-degree day, but in 2019 recorded its earliest 80-degree temperature on Feb. 7.

H​ighs in the 80s were reached in January and February this year due to an upper-level ridge of high pressure that allowed temperatures to soar. Dallas reached 83 degrees on Jan. 10 and Nashville climbed into the 80s three times in February, including 85 degrees on Feb. 23.

Temperatures warm up even more in May when highs in the 90s become more common.

Cold overnight lows also end sooner in the South. The last freezing temperatures of the season typically occur around March 3 in Charleston, South Carolina. Nashville usually waits until March 29.

Mild Midwest By May

By mid-April, much of the region usually begins to shed the cold of winter and enjoy the milder temperatures of spring. Areas farther south in the Midwest, including Indianapolis and St. Louis, warm up much sooner than areas closer to the Canadian border.

The average first 70-degree temperature occurs from mid-March to mid-April for most of the region, but warm temperatures can come earlier. The first 70-degree day of the year has taken place in January and February in some years from the southern Great Lakes southward.

Many locations have recorded 80-degree temperatures in March or even earlier. St. Louis saw its earliest 80-degree day on Feb. 1, 1911, but on the opposite end of the spectrum, Fargo waited until June 21 in 1945.

Chicago and Detroit recorded their first 70-degree temperature in mid-March last year, but are still waiting to reach that mark this year. Last year, Minneapolis waited until May 9 for its first 80-degree day, while Fargo, North Dakota, didn't reach 80 degrees until May 27.

The last freeze of the season normally isn't until mid-April in Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis. This also coincides closely with the average first 80-degree day.

When Does The West See Warmer Temperatures?

Coastal areas of California and the Southwest typically enjoy temperatures in the 70s and 80s at various times of the year, even in the heart of winter.

Los Angeles typically experiences about 10 days with highs at or above 80 degrees through the first three months of the year. This year, however, only one day (Feb. 9) has seen the thermometer climb to 80 degrees due to a persistent upper-level trough that has allowed chilly conditions to dominate.

Seattle typically waits until mid-April before the thermometer reaches 70 degrees and until late May for the first 80-degree reading. Late March is when Billings, Montana, and Salt Lake City can usually expect the first 70-degree temperature.

Denver set a record for the earliest 80-degree temperatures on Feb. 10, 2017. This broke the previous record by more than a month. Last year, Denver reached 80 degrees on March 28, a few weeks earlier than average.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.