LOCAL

Spring arrives with sunny skies ... and more of the same cold air

Ken Palmer
Lansing State Journal

LANSING - Spring officially arrives on Tuesday, with sunshine and all of its promise.

Spring arrives on Tuesday with plenty of sunshine and more of the same below-normal temperatures.

But that doesn't mean it is going to feel much different.

Highs will likely fall short of the 40-degree mark on Tuesday and Wednesday, and below-normal temperatures are likely for the rest of the month, forecasters said.

There's even a chance for snow, possibly mixed with rain, on Saturday or Sunday, said Ernie Ostuno, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids.

Until then, the high pressure system bringing cooler air from Canada means clear skies and lots of sunshine, and that makes it seem more, well, spring-like, Ostuno said.   

"When you get sun at this time of year, it doesn't feel that bad," he said. "From lows to highs, you get a pretty good range of temperatures. With the sun, it can warm up pretty good (during the day)."

So far, the average temperature for the month is slightly below normal, Ostuno said. This March looks a lot like the March of 2014, when snow hung on the ground until late in the month, he said.

Expect highs in the high 30s Tuesday and Wednesday and in the low 40s on Thursday and Friday, with sunny skies each day, the weather service said.

Saturday and Sunday should be cooler, with highs in the high 30s.

At this time of year, it generally gets up into the mid-40s in mid-Michigan.

Contact Ken Palmer at (517) 377-1032 or kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj.