Central PA Spring 2026 Discussion/Obs Thread

[Blizzard of 93]

Happy Easter!

As a long time pro Met says every day, “Enjoy the weather, it’s the only weather you’ve got”!

[canderson]

MDT set a record high Saturday (83)

[mahantango#1]

Pennsylvanians really only have two modes, and neither of them is “this weather is nice.” We are either standing in 19-degree wind saying, “I can’t take this cold anymore,” or standing in 82 degrees with 40% humidity saying, “This is disgusting.” There is no middle ground. A 64-degree sunny day lasts about eleven minutes here before somebody says it’s either “still a little chilly in the shade” or “getting a little muggy.” We spend all winter begging for summer, all summer begging for fall, all fall pretending we’re not about to complain about winter again, and then the second it hits 50 in March, somebody’s in cargo shorts at Sheetz acting like we made it.

[mahantango#1]

.45 rain from this mornings event. I wasn't expecting that much, I thought maybe I'd get 2 tenths. But it is needed as we enter the growing season.

[Yardstickgozinya]

2 hours ago, mahantango#1 said:

Pennsylvanians really only have two modes, and neither of them is “this weather is nice.” We are either standing in 19-degree wind saying, “I can’t take this cold anymore,” or standing in 82 degrees with 40% humidity saying, “This is disgusting.” There is no middle ground. A 64-degree sunny day lasts about eleven minutes here before somebody says it’s either “still a little chilly in the shade” or “getting a little muggy.” We spend all winter begging for summer, all summer begging for fall, all fall pretending we’re not about to complain about winter again, and then the second it hits 50 in March, somebody’s in cargo shorts at Sheetz acting like we made it.

I just had  a lengthy discussion with the voices in my head about this. We completely agree , but only because people are weird. A normal person likes their winter days around  0℉ and summer days close to the century mark.  . 

[Yardstickgozinya]

I'm currently having a discussion with the same voices about a winter grade. Dick and I personally think that it deserves a higher grade then the C I'll be giving it, but It's 5 against 2, and I can't take the screaming anymore.  

[Voyager]

1 hour ago, Yardstickgozinya said:

I just had  a lengthy discussion with the voices in my head about this. We completely agree , but only because people are weird. A normal person likes their winter days around  0℉ and summer days close to the century mark.  . 

Honestly, I'd be fine with 50 in the winter and 85 in the summer.

[Yardstickgozinya]

5 hours ago, Voyager said:

I really can't wait for backdoor cold front season to end. I went out for our coffee and breakfast sandwiches, and the dark, cloudy, murky, foggy, cold and damp look and feel made me instantly depressed.

 

4 hours ago, mahantango#1 said:

@Voyager might have been on to something with his post the other day. I'm hearing whispers of a strong El Nino. If that were to verify ( location dependent) it could be the back door until next spring If you get what i'm saying.  In all seriousness though, come later this spring and summer the bdf will be welcome and offer something for everyone. 

[Itstrainingtime]

Finished with .60" of welcomed rainfall. 

I hope everyone is enjoying your Easter Sunday.

[mahantango#1]

1 hour ago, Yardstickgozinya said:

 

@Voyager might have been on to something with his post the other day. I'm hearing whispers of a strong El Nino. If that were to verify ( location dependent) it could be the back door until next spring If you get what i'm saying.  In all seriousness though, come later this spring and summer the bdf will be welcome and offer something for everyone. 

From our great friend DT: Each new recycle of the monthly Climate models that come out continue to show a stronger and stronger El Nino event developing this summer and lasting for at least a year. This graph is from the April 1st European climate model which just came out today April 5. The European climate model consists of 100 different members and 95 of the 100 are in the Super El Nino category.

 

A "SUPER" El Nino is only happened three times since 1945: the events of -- 1982-83 1997-98 2015-16. So in one sense we are kind of due for a strong El Nino event. But really has been the debate among meteorologists and climatologists for the past 60 days - will this upcoming El Nino event be a STRONG El Nono or very strong/ SUPER El Nino event?

 

This has significant implications locations around the globe especially when it's this strong.. it probably means that 

 

1 There is going to be a severe possibly historic drought in Indonesia 

2 There is likely to be major or historic drought in the Amazon basin. Obviously this has significant implications for Farming the food supply and for commodity grain Traders. 

3 a wet and cool summer in the eastern US 

4 Drought for Europe 

5 Weaker than normal Indian monsoon -- possibly much below normal.  

6 Expect damaging flooding rains and historic storms on the west coast next winter,

7 mild winter across the East Coast and the Midwest.

8 below and / or much below normal hurricane season