Posted Saturday, April 17, 2021
On Thursday of this week the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh announced the official beginning of the growing season here in east-central Ohio. Primarily that means NWS Pittsburgh will resume frost and freeze advisories in our area if temperatures and weather conditions warrant.
Most of us already know not to get too serious with our gardening until Mother’s Day. There are many plants we can safely start early – beets, radishes, and many greens can survive short instances of cold temperatures. But most other vegetables and flowers will not do very well when frost develops or temperatures get to 32-degrees.
But we all know that springtime in the Valley comes with caveats. Despite the announcement that the growing season is officially underway, we know deep down not to jump the gun. There’s almost always that one last cold snap lurking.
This year is not much different. A low pressure system is slated to move through Ohio on Wednesday. It will drag a potent cold front through the state. Some precipitation will likely accompany the system. Some of that precipitation could very well be of the wintry variety.
While it’s still pretty far out and specifics are difficult to pin down yet, there is an opportunity for wet snow or mixed precipitation Wednesday morning in the Valley. All of the major computer models have been pretty consistent showing this for a good while now. The types of precipitation and amounts we might see in our area will depend on exact temperatures and timing.
We’re not talking about a big snowstorm or anything here. Even if the models have the right idea, the ground is pretty warm at this point. Air temperatures will vary depending on the time of day. Early Wednesday morning would probably be the best opportunity for wet snow to mix in. At this point, any impactful accumulation seems unlikely except in grassy areas and on elevated surfaces.
Temperatures will get pretty cold Wednesday night into Thursday morning whether we end up with some wet snow or not. If you’ve put out plants in the garden, you might need to cover them or bring them indoors.
For those of us already in spring mode, it’s disappointing to hear the “S” word in any weather forecast. A late-season cold snap and a little snow are not uncommon occurrences in the Valley. We don’t like it but it happens.
However, the cool weather pattern we’re currently stuck in looks to change for the better after this mid-week front. Temperatures will likely warm through the weekend and continue a warm trend through the end of the month.
Thanks for keeping up with the local weather and taking time out of your day to read my local weather blog. Be safe out there.
