Spring warmest in three decades

Summer could see above average temperatures, too, experts say.

The above average temperatures in the Dayton region this spring broke a record that had stood for more than three decades.

According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington this is the warmest spring on record with an average temperature for March through May of 57.9 degrees.

That is six degrees above the normal average of 51.1 degrees and beats the previous record of 56.7 degrees set in 1977.

Cincinnati and Columbus also set records for the warmest spring since 1878 and 1991, respectively.

“It was largely due to March, which ended up 13 degrees above average,” said Storm Center 7 Chief Meteorologist Jamie Simpson.

Last month ended up being the sixth warmest May on record with temperatures 6.9 degrees above average. Temperatures in April strayed less than 1 degree from average.

He said this spring’s weather pattern brought warm air from the south quite often and the dry conditions allowed the ground to heat more quickly.

And because the spring was warm and dry, summer now starts with a warmer and dryer ground than typical, Simpson said.

“That should lend itself to a warmer-than-average summer,” he said.

The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center is expecting a better chance for above average temperatures in the early part of the summer as opposed to later. Precipitation in June through August is expected to be about average for the summer months.

“They are not predicting a big cool-down any time soon,” Simpson said.