Weather Explainers

Ready For It To Feel Like Spring? Here's When The First 70s, 80s Typically Arrive In The United States

Spring's lasting warmth is just around the corner which means 70s and 80s become more common. Here's a look at when these benchmarks are first hit from coast-to-coast.

When Your Town Will Hit 70s Or 80s

Tired of fetching your jacket or coat? If so, the good news is that spring's more lasting spells of warmth are just around the corner, which is when large parts of the country see their first 70s and 80s of the season.

As of early March, many cities from the South to as far north as the Central Plains and Ohio and mid-Mississippi valleys have already hit 70 degrees or higher at least once. Much of the Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast are still in a waiting game.

(MAPS: Average Monthly Temperatures)

May average high temperatures — May average highs, based on 1991-2020 data from NOAA.

Springlike warmth typically emerges in late March and early April, but some areas wait until closer to May to regularly experience these warm conditions. Next, we break down the data for when each region typically sees their first 70s and/or 80s of the year.

Northeast

First 70s: This benchmark is reached by the end of March for most locations in the mid-Atlantic and 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.

First 80s: Most of the region will wait until April to see temperatures in the 80s, but coastal New England cities like Boston and Bangor, Maine, wait until May. The latest initial 80-degree day in the region has occurred in late May or June.
Warm Temperatures Can Happen Earlier: 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.
Still Chilly Nights: 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.

Average first day in the 70s and 80s based on the 1991-2020 average from NOAA.

Midwest, Plains

First 70s: The average first 70-degree temperature occurs from mid-March to mid-April for most of the region. Some locations farther south such as St. Louis and Wichita, Kansas, see their average first 70 or higher in February.
First 80s: April is a popular time for Midwest cities to see temperatures rise to 80 or higher for the first time in spring. Northernmost cities like Fargo, North Dakota, and Green Bay, Wisconsin, may not see their first 80 until May, while areas farther south such as St. Louis have historically hit that mark by late March.
Warm Temperatures Can Happen 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.
Still Chilly Nights: 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.

South

First 70s: Temperatures in the 70s typically occur in January, although the latest 70-degree temperatures on record in Atlanta and Nashville are in early April.
First 80s: 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.
It's Already Happened in 2025: Although it's been a chilly start to the year overall, most of the region has already seen one or more days in the 70s prior to the start of March. Some cities have also hit =80F.=YTD&map_display=value&showthrdx=true&region=conus" target="_blank" rel=""80 or higher, including Charlotte, North Carolina, Nashville, Tennessee, and Oklahoma City.
Still Chilly Nights: The last freezing temperatures of the season typically occur around March 3 in Charleston, South Carolina. Nashville usually waits until March 29.

Average date of the first 80s and the latest into spring that has occurred based on 1991-2020 data from NOAA. — Average first day in the 80s based on the 1991-2020 average from NOAA. Also shown is the latest into spring the first 80 has arrived.

West

The region's more complicated geography means there is a wide range of outcomes depending on location. Here are some notables.

70s And 80s Can Happen Year-Round For Some: 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 usually experiences about 10 days with highs at or above 80 degrees through the first three months of the year.
March and April For Others: 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 hits its first 70 right at the start of March, but the 80s typically don't happen until mid-April.