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Calendar says spring is here

Spring has officially sprung today but the warm weather might just be replaced by some cooler temperatures this weekend.

Chris Leonardi, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston, W.Va., said though temperatures have been a little warmer, they might not stick around for the first dew official days of spring.

“Friday looks like the warmest day with temperatures around 62 or 63 degrees, which is getting close to the normal,” he said. “There also might be a brush fire worry that day because of the wind drying things out.”

Leonardi said temperatures will fall a little bit Sunday to highs in the mid-40s and lows in the lower 20s.

“It’ll be persistent, but we’re not expecting it to be brutally cold,” he said, adding that these cooler temperatures are most likely to be seen in early February, not the middle of March.

Many area residents are more than ready for spring weather to stick around.

Whipple resident Jennifer Elliott, 33, said she’s ready to wave goodbye to winter now that the calendar says it’s spring.

“I have four children and they are very tired of being in the house,” she said. “I’m very tired of winter and snow and ice.”

Likewise, Dianne Dennison, 65, of Marietta, who was preparing to bike with her family Wednesday afternoon, said she’s ready for sun and warmth.

“We hope spring hurries along,” she said.

Her grandson, Andre, 12, said that though he likes winter, he’s waiting for one thing in particular about spring.

“I can’t wait for the flowers to bloom,” he said.

Winter has been a little harsh to the Mid-Ohio Valley this winter, with larger-than-normal amounts of snow during some months.

“The season total is 21.8 inches,” Leonardi said.

Meteorologist Tom Mazza said February and March’s snowfalls rank above average: February’s average is 5.2 inches and the area received 9 inches, and March’s normal is 2.8 inches and the area has received 5 inches to date.

“You’re still below normal on the year as a whole,” Mazza said.

The average snowfall for Marietta ranges from 25 inches in the valley to 30 inches in the rural hills.

The Climate Center for the state of Ohio ranked this winter as the 14th coldest on record for the past 119 years.

Carla Pottmeyer, 42, of Churchtown, said that though she loves winter, she’s ready to move on.

“I really enjoyed (winter) but I’m ready for it to be done now,” she said. “It’s so nice to be able to get (outside).”

Lombardi said that though no big snows are expected in the near future, anything is possible.

“We’re not 100 percent done with winter yet,” he said.

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