E PA/NJ/DE Spring 2026 Obs/Discussion

[Birds~69]

As long as it doesn't affect beer, whiskey or vodka prices, I'm in pretty good shape.... 

61F

6 hours ago, RedSky said:

ECM has snow showers in Scranton next Friday and likely a frost threat next weekend

 

Big fan of the EMC. Big fan! I ain't kidding! Big fan! 

The Moon is kicking ass tonight...

[Albedoman]

I am really concerned with this COLD weather.  In tonights 18z,  I counted at least 8 days in the next 15 days with lows in the mid to upper 30's and many days not breaking out of the low 50's.  This is by far the coldest spring I can remember in 40 + years. Snow flurries and graupel a real good possibility at these temps if moisture shows its face at the right time.  Cloudy days will force me to run the heater. I have never run the heater in May before. The sycamore leaves are now gone and wilted from the freeze. The other PA forum indicates strawberry damage in Lancaster and York and complete fruit  tree bud destruction.  This maybe the year with "no summer" again at this juncture.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer

[PhiEaglesfan712]

26 minutes ago, Albedoman said:

I am really concerned with this COLD weather.  In tonights 18z,  I counted at least 8 days in the next 15 days with lows in the mid to upper 30's and many days not breaking out of the low 50's.  This is by far the coldest spring I can remember in 40 + years. Snow flurries and graupel a real good possibility at these temps if moisture shows its face at the right time.  Cloudy days will force me to run the heater. I have never run the heater in May before. The sycamore leaves are now gone and wilted from the freeze. The other PA forum indicates strawberry damage in Lancaster and York and complete fruit  tree bud destruction.  This maybe the year with "no summer" again at this juncture.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer

Stop exaggerating. This is nowhere near the coldest spring in 40+ years. March and April were well above average. Top 10 warmest, in fact. Almost half of the springs since 1980 were colder than this year's March and April.

And you're lying if you say you've never run the heater in May before. (Does May 9, 2020 ring a bell?) 

Also, we're not getting a year with "no summer". Keep in mind, the last significantly cold summer in this area was 2009. The most recent cool summers, like 2014 and 2023, are very near the 1981-2010 averages.

[RedSky]

The big warm spikes raised the average for March and April above normal but strangely the northeast trough still persisted. If you know anything about growing late April through May is the key growth period for crops everything is being stunted by this cold.

 

[ChescoWx]

April finished as the 12th warmest (POR 133 years) first month of spring here in Chester County PA below are the Top 20 warm years. Our average of 55.0 was +2.8 degrees above our 1991-2020 climate normal of 52.2 degrees. January thru April 2026 is the 57th warmest first 4 months of a yea

[RedSky]

Farmers have had a double whammy this spring as the drought persisted through the first three weeks of April adversely affecting early spring plantings and high fertilizer cost

 

 

[ChescoWx]

Below for the Philly burbs of Chester County PA are the all-time May climate records and below that the climate trends for the month. Based on the actual historical data (blue) our average May temperatures show a slight cooling trend since 1893 while the adjusted NCEI (red) temperatures indicate a very slight warming trendline.

[RedSky]

Frost advisories up

[Birds~69]

46f,  12AM...windows open, I think I heard the ice cream truck guy? 

[Birds~69]

Drought guy may be on to something...although this seems normal to me.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/polar-vortex-aftermath-to-bring-more-chilly-may-days-to-midwest-northeast/1886949

 

[ChescoWx]

Another below normal temperature day on tap today before we see a brief warm up with some valley locations touching 80 degrees by Tuesday before we turn much chillier again by the end of the week. Highs by Thursday through Saturday may struggle to escape the upper 50's. Rain chances increase with a cold front by Tuesday night.

[ChescoWx]

Final seasonal NWS reported snowfall maps

[Birds~69]

Drought stuff...couple chances for rain this week.

43F

[ChescoWx]

Many lower spots reached the 30's this morning with the Warwick DEOS the chilliest at 30.9 degrees. We warm up nicely today to near normal highs around 70 today. We warm to close to 80 degrees tomorrow before we start another cooling trend. Shower chances also look to increase Wednesday into Thursday before we clear up on Friday. Below normal temperatures look likely from Thursday through the weekend.

[RedSky]

35F low 7F colder then the night before 

 

[ChescoWx]

Cooler today with showers we could see up to 0.25" of needed rain. We are at 73% of normal rainfall for the year to date. We remain cooler than normal through Saturday with a brief warmup on Sunday to above normal before temperatures again fall below normal. Overall, the next couple weeks look to average below normal. Our next shower chances will be Saturday.

[JTA66]

.20" of drought-bustin' rains in the bucket today, 61F.

[RedSky]

.20" anemic showers drought wins

[The Iceman]

This weather has been so boring lately. We need a severe threat. I’d take a solid rain storm though 

[LVblizzard]

11 minutes ago, The Iceman said:

This weather has been so boring lately. We need a severe threat. I’d take a solid rain storm though 

Spring is the worst season for northeast weenies. Snow chances are done and you don’t really get frequent severe chances until mid to late June. Fall sucks too but at least there can be hurricanes to track.

[JTA66]

0.20" from the "main event", 0.40" from the leftover showers...go figure.

[ChescoWx]

Ten of our last fifteen days have featured below normal temperatures. It looks like much of the next 15 days will also average out with cooler than normal temperatures. After some much needed rain last night we have a great day underway today. Below normal temperatures will continue through Saturday. Rain chances increase again toward Saturday morning before we briefly warm to above normal on Sunday for Mom’s day with highs in the middle 70’s. We turn sharply cooler again to start the new work week.

[RedSky]

3 hours ago, JTA66 said:

0.20" from the "main event", 0.40" from the leftover showers...go figure.

same

 

[JTA66]

2 hours ago, RedSky said:

same

 

How come wrap-around snows never work out like that??

[RedSky]

5 hours ago, JTA66 said:

How come wrap-around snows never work out like that??

A mystery of the universe

 

[RedSky]

Next week temps looks like average for the second week of April

What is going on. Every week the warmth is coming and gets pushed back.

 

 

[RedSky]

Weirdest spring ever

Endless northeast troughing yet dry

Majority of days colder then normal but skewed warmer from heat spikes

Have not had anything more then distant thunder once

Record freeze and late frosts

 

[Birds~69]

9 minutes ago, RedSky said:

Next week temps looks like average for the second week of April

What is going on. Every week the warmth is coming and gets pushed back.

 

 

I fail to see the problem? We're okay...

[Albedoman]

On 5/2/2026 at 12:35 AM, PhiEaglesfan712 said:

Stop exaggerating. This is nowhere near the coldest spring in 40+ years. March and April were well above average. Top 10 warmest, in fact. Almost half of the springs since 1980 were colder than this year's March and April.

And you're lying if you say you've never run the heater in May before. (Does May 9, 2020 ring a bell?) 

Also, we're not getting a year with "no summer". Keep in mind, the last significantly cold summer in this area was 2009. The most recent cool summers, like 2014 and 2023, are very near the 1981-2010 averages.

I’m not talking about Philadelphia—I’m talking about the Lehigh Valley, where I actually live and have followed weather patterns for decades. I was here 40 years ago, and I can tell you from real experience that this stretch is different. Back then—and even as recently as May 2020—I wasn’t running my heat in May. What we’re seeing now isn’t just about “average temperatures.” It’s the persistent cloud cover, lack of solar heating, cool daytime highs, and cold nights that never let homes recover heat. That’s what drives real-world conditions like higher utility bills and stressed vegetation. So no, I’m not calling this the “year without a summer”—but I am saying that what we’re experiencing right now doesn’t line up with what has been typical in the Lehigh Valley over the past several decades. Here I will give you factueal information about using averages to score points:

1) The current weather pattern really has been cool + cloudy + persistent

• Early May our area was forecast as “rainy, cool” for multiple consecutive days
• Forecasts and observations show repeated mostly cloudy skies, showers, and highs stuck in the upper 40s–low 60s with nights in the 30s–40sThat’s exactly the setup that forces continuous heating—not just the occasional use.

2) April had frequent rain days (meaning lots of clouds)

• Typical April in Allentown already has ~17–21 rainy days spread across the month

When those cluster together (which they did late in the month), you get:

• Several back-to-back gray days
• Very little solar heating

This directly supports my point about: “lack of solar energy from constant cloudy days”

3) The temperatures themselves are deceptive

• April 2026 averaged about 50°F overall
• Typical April averages are around 62°/40° (high/low)

On paper, that doesn’t scream “extreme.”
But here’s the real key:

• Highs in the upper 40s–low 60s
• Nights in the 30s–40s
• Repeated for many days

That combination continuously builds heating demand, even if it’s not record-breaking cold.

4) This directly explains my heating issue (and bill)

This is described as a textbook physical geography course:

• If temps stay below ~65°F → you accumulate heating degree days every day
• If it’s cloudy → no solar gain
• If it repeats → your house never recovers heat

That’s why:

• You’re running heat all day
• Your bill spikes
• It feels worse than past years

This is not opinion, its a fact —it’s how building heat balance works

5) My vegetation observations are also backed up

Cool, cloudy, wet stretches:

• Slow plant development
• Stress new leaves and budding formation
• Delay normal spring growth cycles

That aligns with what you’re seeing on the ground right now.

Bottom line (plain and direct)

I am not exaggerating—I am just describing something weather averages don’t capture:

• Not extreme cold
• But persistently cool, cloudy, and damp
• With low solar input and repeated nights in the 40s

That combination absolutely can make late April / early May feel colder than many past years, especially from a homeowner’s perspective.