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Ohio Valley's Big Temperature Swings Will Likely Continue

WCPO
The NWS says the crazy swings in temperatures, bringing rain and snow, are not that unusual for the Ohio Valley in February, March and November.

National Weather Service meteorologists say the wild weather swings we've experienced this winter will continue into the spring.

"Actually February, March and November are really known for these wild swings in temperatures or big storms," says Science Operations Operator Seth Binau. "Anytime you have a big shift in temperatures or a lot of extremes in temperatures you're going to generate some large storms because they thrive on temperature gradients."

Binau has seen this in the past and says it really isn't that unusual for the Ohio Valley.

A brief snapshot of temperature highs in Greater Cincinnati shows it was 50 degrees Jan. 28 and then two days later, the high was 14. On Feb. 1, it was 31 and by the 7 was up to 66 degrees.

The National Weather Service says on Friday a tornado touched down in Clark County, Ohio. At least two barns were damaged.

As we get into March, Binau says, "We do start to bring warmer air north but we still get the big arctic intrusion. So February is really a battleground month."

For the next seven to ten days, "We're expected to be in a very active, in a very wet pattern with variability in the temperature and cold air is poised to the north and west," he says.

Don't rule out heavy rain and storms, some flooding and a winter storm or two in February, he adds.

Ann Thompson has decades of journalism experience in the Greater Cincinnati market and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting.