--- title: Spring 2017: Here's What Weather to Expect description: Much of the U.S. should expect higher than average temperatures this spring, federal climate scientists said Thursday. canonical: https://time.com/4703676/spring-2017-weather/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-03-16T15:52:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T03:52:52.185Z article:section: Science og:title: Here's What Weather to Expect This Spring og:description: Climate scientists released their weather forecast og:url: https://time.com/4703676/spring-2017-weather/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt808354eee0c6020c/6988bea3656a3ff959bcf2b6/umbrella-rain-spring-weather.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: umbrella rain spring weather og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Here's What Weather to Expect This Spring twitter:description: Climate scientists released their weather forecast twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt808354eee0c6020c/6988bea3656a3ff959bcf2b6/umbrella-rain-spring-weather.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's What Weather to Expect This Spring  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Mar 16, 2017 3:52 PM UTC  Rain drops falling from a black umbrella concept for bad weather, winter or protection Rain drops falling from a black umbrella concept for bad weather, winter or protectionBrianAJackson—Getty Images/iStockphoto  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Mar 16, 2017 3:52 PM UTC Much of the U.S. should expect higher than average temperatures this spring with a region stretching from Texas to New England expected to have the most unusually tepid temperatures, federal climate scientists [said](http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long%5Frange/seasonal.php?lead=1) Thursday. Forecasters from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also [warned](http://nws.noaa.gov/oh/2017NHAD.html) that communities in the midwest, California and southeastern U.S. could be vulnerable to flooding. North Dakota and Idaho face a particularly high risk of flooding as high levels of snow melt coincide with anticipated spring rain. The northern Rocky Mountain range, the northern Great Plains and the Gulf Coast should all expect high levels of precipitation, according to the report. California faces elevated risk of flooding in its Northern and central regions thanks largely to an unusually wet year that broke years of crippling drought in the state. The high water flow has already inundated the state’s infrastructure and experts warn of the potential for more problems. The forecast for above-average spring temperatures follows a winter that ranked as the [sixth hottest](http://www.noaa.gov/news/us-had-2nd-warmest-february-and-6th-warmest-winter-on-record) on record despite late-season storms. 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