While the famous groundhog’s record has been spotty at best and is more of a tradition than an actual indicator of weather trends, things are looking good once we get past Saturday, when an inch or two of snow is in the forecast.
This winter has seen significantly less snowfall than the average total. Lee Hendricks, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said the area has had 24.4 inches of snowfall this winter compared to the average of 33.5 inches.
Spring-like temperatures are expected to arrive Sunday, and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a break from the cold will really enjoy next week as temperatures will be in the high 50s Monday before reaching 66 on Tuesday and remaining in the 60s through Saturday.
While Phil may have called for an early spring, experts like Hendricks expressed doubts that spring is arriving.
“I think it might be a little bit premature calling it spring, although we are going to get some rather nice weather out of it,” said Hendricks.