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

Punxsutawney Phil and meteorologist Matthew Eckhoff share something in common — neither one saw their shadows Friday morning on Groundhog Day. According to Phil, the most famous weather predicting marmot in the business, we're in for an early spring.

In Eckhoff's case, it was simply cloudy in Indianapolis.

Here's what he and other meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Indianapolis are predicting for the Central Indiana area this week and beyond.

NWS Indianapolis says we're in store for above normal temperatures

"It looks like we're going to be entering a weather pattern that's a little bit above normal in terms of temperatures," Eckhoff said. "Mild weather with occasional rain chances will continue at least for the next two to three, maybe even four weeks."

Eckhoff cautioned that Central Indiana could still see a few more occasional cold fronts in the coming weeks, but they likely wouldn't last long.

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

"We are in an El Nino year, so things can flip pretty quickly, but El Nino typically doesn't favor sustained cold," Eckhoff said. "I would venture to guess that even if we do get cold weather, we'll be back to normal within a couple of days."

Will spring be warmer this year?

According to 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.

That bodes well for Punxsutawney Phil's most recent prediction. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the groundhog has only gotten it right about 40% of the time.

What will spring 2024 be like in the Midwest?

Tellingly, if you look at NOAA's predictive outlook map, nowhere will you find a spot of blue — temperatures aren't expected to be colder than average anywhere in the country.

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.

We're sick of winter: When's spring already?

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

NWS: Latest forecast for Central Indiana

Here's the latest weather forecast for Central Indiana, according to NWS.

Friday: Patchy fog before 10 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. East northeast wind 6 to 10 mph. Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. East wind 7 to 9 mph.

Saturday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 48. East wind 7 to 9 mph. Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. East wind around 10 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. East northeast wind around 10 mph. Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Northeast wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 49. North northeast wind around 11 mph. Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northeast wind 8 to 11 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49. Northeast wind around 7 mph. Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31. Northeast wind around 6 mph becoming east southeast after midnight.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Thursday A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Breezy.

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: National Weather Service in Indianapolis predicts warm spring in 2024