NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — Farm country is experiencing sharp temperature swings as winter weather continues to come and go, creating highly variable conditions across much of the country. Meteorologists say this kind of pattern is typical during the transition from winter into spring.
According to agricultural meteorologist John Baranick, the back-and-forth shifts are part of a normal seasonal transition, especially in March and April.
“I mean, this is usually how it works: we’re trying to go from the really cold temperatures in winter to the really hot ones in summer,” Barnack explains. “And when you go through that transition period here, March and April especially, I mean, that’s the perfect time to just ride it. Get some bursts of heat coming through; it won’t last long, and get some cold bursts coming through. They won’t last long, and you just kind of figure out how everything is kind of moving along there. But as long as you can ride the roller coaster and understand that your forecast here for the next two weeks might be changing on a daily basis, quite significantly.”
Meteorologists are also watching a potential shift from La Niña conditions toward El Niño later this year. While social media has labeled the possible event a “Godzilla El Niño,” experts say the intensity remains uncertain—but the signal for a stronger pattern is there.
“I guess you could just throw whatever word you want on; gigantic, mega, ultra, whatever, I guess. Use whatever adjective you want, but there is a pretty significant threat,” Barnack said. “Well, I don’t know if threat’s the right word, but a possibility is there of a really strong El Niño coming back into play here later this year.”
Barnack says the incoming weather pattern is likely to be strong, no matter what you call it.
“El Niño looks almost like a guarantee,” he said. “Things are setting up there in the Pacific Ocean, where it’s going to get warm rather quickly over the next couple of months. Just how warm that’s going to be is a bit of a question mark.”
