Don’t be fooled by Saturday’s “warm wave” as temperatures soar into the 60s, maybe even nearing 70 if we get any midday and afternoon sunshine.
It’s just a one-off spring tease before we return to reality, first week of April version.
This month can be highly unpredictable, of course. In 2010, highs of 75 and 76 were set on April 2 and 3, followed by a hot 86 on April 7 of that year. But by April 28, 2010, folks were shoveling out following a snowy spring surprise that dumped up to 21 inches on the hilltowns.
The historical average temperature range for next week is 30 to 50, so don’t be looking for green shoots about to bloom just yet.
April showers, May flowers, as we know all too well.
Some of you may remember May 9, 1977, the Mother’s Day snowstorm when a shocking 8 to 14 inches set a record at that time for the latest snow measured in the Berkshires and the rest of Massachusetts.
On May 18, 2002, that record was broken by a 2-inch snowfall on the day of the Wahconah Regional High School prom. More recently, in May 2019, Berkshire residents were moaning about a "lost spring."
Back to the hopefully snow-free present and near future: Saturday’s brief surge of warm air will be accompanied by early morning rain.
Then, starting around midday, a 4- to 6-hour window of sunshine, with a quick drying-out along with strong winds. That’s when we have a chance to see highs well up into the 60s.
But thermometer will crash by evening as a cold front plows through with more rain, a possible thunderstorm and strong wind gusts, according to the National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y.
By Palm Sunday morning, temperatures will be hovering just below 30, and our county’s higher elevations could even see a dusting of snow on grassy surfaces and clinging to tree limbs, though not for long.
Sunshine returns for Sunday with highs around 40, then into the mid-50s on Monday with partly cloudy skies.
Rain from time to time is forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, drying out with more sunshine expected Friday into next weekend.
The government’s Climate Prediction Center’s extended outlook for April 7-13 indicates slightly milder than normal temperatures and near-normal rainfall.