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Forecasters: This spring could be wetter than normal

KAYLEE TREIBER AND her father, Lucas Treiber, spend time together jumping in puddles at Prospect and West E streets in Iron Mountain. Daytime highs are expected to be above freezing at least through the first half of next week. (Theresa Proudfit/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — A relatively wet spring with normal temperatures is predicted for the Iron Mountain-Kingsford area, according to the National Weather Service.

There’s a 40 percent chance of above-normal precipitation and a 27 percent chance of below-normal precipitation for the three-month period from today through the end of May, the Climate Prediction Center said.

“The precipitation outlook indicates elevated probabilities of above-normal precipitation for the northern Rockies, east across the northern Great Plains into the Midwest, the Ohio Valley and the Northeast, south to the Tennessee Valley,” NWS forecaster Dan Collins said.

This year’s winter has been somewhat cold and dry.

Temperatures in January and February at Iron Mountain-Kingsford averaged 14.2 degrees, which is 1.3 degrees below normal and 7 degrees lower than a year ago.

The area received 27.3 inches of snow since fall, which is about 15 inches below normal.

Today marks the first day of meteorological spring, while the spring equinox will arrive at 11:15 a.m. Central time March 20.

The forecast for a wet spring is mainly linked to La Nina conditions, or cooler than normal water in the Pacific Ocean. The outlook calls for La Nina continuing through at least early spring, followed by a likely return to neutral conditions around mid-spring.

Statistics for the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Wastewater Treatment plant cooperative observer site are based on records that began in 1931.

Storms over the next two weeks are likely to aggravate flooding problems over parts of the central United States, according to AccuWeather forecaster Paul Pastelok.

“There may still be two to three storms that may cause some trouble during the first part of March from near the Gulf coast to the lower Great Lakes and Appalachians,” Pastelok said.

Earlier this week, Lansing was under a state of emergency due to flooding from heavy rains and melting snow. As of Sunday, however, there were no remaining major street closures.

Meanwhile, governors of Missouri, Indiana and Illinois declared disaster emergencies after severe thunderstorms and widespread flooding over the weekend.

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