‘Tis the season for April showers to bring May flowers.

After a winter of low temperatures and high precipitation, some may worry what spring might bring this year.

NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste discusses his predictions for the new season’s weather.

Northern Star: When will we start experiencing consistent, warmer weather?
Gilbert Sebenste: We were supposed to see it last week, but starting this week, we will not only get that, but also thunderstorms - a few possibly severe.

NS: What are the “spring” months?
GS: Spring is generally regarded as late March through the middle of June, but winter conditions can occur through early May.

NS: Will we be experiencing high levels of precipitation during these months?
GS: It’s too hard to tell right now, but the trend seems to be toward drier this summer.

NS: Are we going to be at a high risk for tornados and severe storms?
GS: I think that through early June, we could see a very active period of severe weather in the Midwest, including northern Illinois.

NS: What will be the average temperature during the spring months?
GS: We can never tell that. The best we can say is that through mid-April, it will be chilly and then by mid-May, we could start to get very warm here.

NS: What is the likelihood of flooding?
GS: At this point, flooding is less likely than what we saw last year, starting in June. However, I must add the disclaimer that localized events can’t be predicted with any certainty months in advance. I’m looking for a warmer and somewhat drier summer.

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