Groundhogs say early spring. Meteorologists say warmer spring. Here's what to know.

Katie Wiseman and John Tufts, Indianapolis Star
·2 min read

The groundhogs predicted an early spring, but when is spring actually? Here's what to know.

When is the first day of spring 2024?

The first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere will be on March 19, 2024.

What are the spring months 2024?

Spring lasts from the end of March until the summer solstice mid-June.

Groundhog Day: Here are the results from weather predicting groundhogs Phil and Hope

What was the Groundhog Day consensus?

In case you didn't know, Punxsutawney Phil is not the only weather predicting groundhog, there's actually over 70 of them, according to Groundhog-Day.com.

Groundhog-Day.com reported that 64 groundhogs made a prediction on Groundhog Day this year and 49 of them (including Punxsutawney Phil) did not see their shadows and predict an early spring.

More groundhogs agreed than in recent years, showing a 77% consensus as opposed to the 53% consensus seen in 2023 and the 59% consensus seen in 2022.

Do human experts agree with the groundhog's prediction?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there’s “no predictive skill” for Phil and the groundhog has only gotten it right about 40% of the time.

So while meteorologists might not agree with the idea of an early spring predicted by a groundhog, they are predicting a warmer spring in the Midwest than we have seen in recent years.

According to the NOAA's seasonal temperature outlook, the northernmost states will see above-normal temperatures in February, March and April, especially in New England and the Pacific Northwest. Most of Texas will see below-average temperatures. Warm-weather predictions are in part due to El Niño, a natural climate pattern that sends temperatures soaring.

Indiana, local NWS forecasters predict, will fare like much of the Midwest. Most Hoosiers have a 35% or greater chance for seeing warmer than average temperatures this year.

The Seasonal Temperature Outlook by the NOAA.
The Seasonal Temperature Outlook by the NOAA.

Previously: Do human experts agree with Punxsutawney Phil? Here's what's in store for spring

What are the dates for the four seasons in 2024?

  • First day of spring: March 19, 2024

  • First day of summer: June 20, 2024

  • First day of fall: Sept. 22, 2024

  • First day of winter: Dec. 21, 2024

John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.

Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Groundhogs predict an early spring, meteorologists agree... almost.