Yearning for springtime? Here's when to expect spring weather in Pueblo

Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow on Feb. 2, meaning spring will come early. But even for the famous weather-forecasting groundhog, predicting the weather that far out is far from certain.

However, the National Weather Service, Farmers' Almanac, and Old Farmer's Almanac agree in their predictions that spring will begin on March 19 this year.

What the weather service expects from Colorado weather from February through April

• Equal chances of expected seasonal temperatures for all of Colorado.

• Equal chances of expected seasonal precipitation for all of Colorado.

What does the Farmers' Almanac say about this spring in Colorado?

The Farmers' Almanac predicts a cold and stormy "Polar Coaster Spring," for most of the United States. This includes the almanac's Zone 4 North Central region, which includes Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri and Iowa.

Zone 4 will see many chilled rainy days over the next few months. Farmers' Almanac predicts "mixed clouds" over most of the region during Easter weekend this year.

The almanac notes that the South Central and Southwest regions of the country will be a "bit warmer," but will still see a slow warmup.

Old Farmer's Almanac expects typical spring temperatures and precipitation in Pueblo

Pueblo is part of Old Farmer's Almanac's "High Plains" region, which includes eastern Colorado as well as roughly half of Wyoming, most of Montana, most of North Dakota and South Dakota, the western third of Kansas, and the northernmost section of Texas.

Eastern Colorado, including Denver, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and the eastern Plains, is expected to see largely average seasonal temperatures in February (.5 degrees below average) and March (.2 degrees above average). However, April and May will be warmer than normal, with near-normal precipitation, according to a 12-month summary from November 2023 to October 2024.

The southern part of the almanac's High Plains region, including eastern Colorado, will see "warmer and wetter" temperatures than average in April and May, while the northern part of the region will be cooler and drier than normal.

As of midnight on the morning of Feb. 15, Colorado has seen 95% of the seasonal average snowpack, according to the USDA.

Here is a breakdown of snowpack totals throughout the USDA's eight regions:

• Arkansas region (including Pueblo and Colorado Springs): 94%.

• South Platte region (Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins): 92%.

• Upper Rio Grande region (Alamosa): 89%.

• San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan region (Durango): 95%.

• Gunnison region (includes Gunnison and Ouray): 99%.

• Upper Colorado Headwaters region (Grand Junction, Aspen, and Glenwood Springs): 98%.

• Yampa and White region (Steamboat Springs): 96%.

• Laramie and North Platte region: 90%.

How accurate is long-term weather forecasting?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the service's meteorologists use computer programs called weather models to make forecasts. The models use estimates and assumptions to predict future weather. Estimates are less reliable the further out you go. predictions are:

• 90% accurate for a five-day forecast

• 80% for a seven-day forecast

• 50% for a 10-day and longer forecast

Farmer's Almanac claims an 80% accuracy rate, according to the Coloradoan.

Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formally known as Twitter, @jayreutter1. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: When is spring in Pueblo, Colorado? What will the weather be like?