March 2022 Weather Forecast: Spring Weather on the Way

March 2022 Weather Forecast

“Spring forward,” indeed! Looking at the month of March as a whole, we see that spring will get off to an early start, with above-average temperatures across much of the central and eastern United States and nearly all of Canada outside of the Northwest Territories. The western United States will experience below-average temperatures and near- to below-average precipitation.

It will also be on the drier side from the southern Plains eastward to the Southeast and from southern British Columbia to the Canadian Prairies. Most other areas will experience above-average precipitation.

→ See weather predictions for the next 60 days in your region!

Notable Dates in March

The month of March will start off with Mardi Gras on March 1, which looks to be a celebratory sunny and mild day in New Orleans. Just off to the west, Texas Independence Day on March 2 will be warm with a few showers.

March 8, International Women’s Day, will be sunny and warm from the Gulf Coast to the Southeast. Rain and mild weather are expected from the Northeast through the Midwest, with rain and snow showers from the High Plains to the Rockies. The West Coast will see some rain at times, while rain and snow showers will be found across much of Canada.

We’ll “spring forward” and mark the start of Daylight Saving Time by setting the clocks ahead 1 hour on March 13, but many areas will not get to enjoy that extra hour of daylight in the evening. Rain and snow showers will move across the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, and mid-Atlantic states, and temps will be on the colder side of average. Sunshine will be common across the western United States, but temps will be on the cool side here, too. Even across southern Canada, there will be snow showers around, with a little rain mixed in along the western shore. 

Folks heading to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on March 17 will want to bundle up across the East and in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions. Most areas will be sunny and dry, but there will be a few rain and snow showers from the Northeast back through the Great Lakes. The weather will have the luck of the Irish across much of the Plains, with sunshine and a warm day foreseen. There could be a few thunderstorms across Oklahoma and Texas. Unsettled weather with rain and mountain snow will impact much of the western United States. Snow showers will continue to be moving across much of southern Canada, with some rain mixed in near the B.C. coast.

The spotty precipitation events may also dampen any viewing parties dedicated to celebrating the full Worm Moon on March 18. 

Springlike weather will appropriately occur in most areas at the spring equinox on March 20, with rain showers in the forecast in the northern third of the U.S. and southern third of Canada, and even a possibility of snow showers along the Rocky Mountains.

On Seward’s Day in Alaska on March 28, flurries will be flying across northern areas, with rain and snow across southern parts of the state

“In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb”

Now back to this proverb. If you think about it, the proverb makes sense for March. It’s a transitional month starting with winter, ending with spring. 

Where did this proverb come from?

It’s appeared over the centuries. John Ray (1627–1705) was a naturalist who wrote, “March hack ham [hackande = annoying] comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb.” This is published in the “Catalogue of English Proverbs” in 1670. The phrase “March came in like a lion” shows up in Ames Almanac in 1740.

A favorited theory (which fits the Almanac) is that the proverb is based on astronomy and the positions of the constellations. At the beginning of the year, we have Leo the Lion (eastern horizon); by the end of March, it’s Aries the Ram (western horizon). 

There have also been religious associations: Jesus arrives as the sacrificial lamb at Easter, but will return as the Lion of Judah. Weather-wise, this means a false spring.

Of course, the Almanac has many other March proverbs in its archives. Here are a couple that have lasted the ages:

• So many mists in March you see, So many frosts in May will be.
• March comes in with adders’ heads and goes out with peacocks’ tails.

They aren’t quite as memorable as the lion and the lamb! 

2022 Spring Weather Forecast

Look ahead! Check out the 2022 Spring Weather Forecast from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.