Is Spring Coming Early to Northern Illinois? What Forecasters Say

It's pretty obvious that Northern Illinois isn't done with winter yet, or more accurately, winter isn't done with us. But when will that time come?

It couldn't be that many of us are starting to get cabin fever and are sick and tired of temperatures plunging into the deep freeze...oh, wait. Yes it can be exactly that.

Let's check in with some of major weather forecasters out there and see when we can stop thinking about heavy coats and snow shovels and turn our attention toward lawn mowers.

No Forecast Is Going To Tell Us The Exact Day You Can Dust Off The Grill, But Let's See What The Forecasters Think About Spring In Northern Illinois

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that March through May will likely see milder than average temperatures and above-average rainfall across much of Illinois this spring. NOAA’s outlook suggests a transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral conditions (I have literally no idea what that means, but I'm guessing that the transition tends to reduce the extremes and contribute to widespread warmth and precipitation compared with last year’s cool and dry spring).

AccuWeather’s long-range perspective suggests a “tug-of-war” between lingering cold and intermittent warm spells, especially in March. This means false springs and cool snaps could still occur before true spring weather settles in.

The Weather Channel also notes the neutral climate pattern this season, which tends to make La Niña’s effects less pronounced and allow spring warmth to stick around longer, while also pointing toward March through May being rainier.

As For The Almanacs And Their Spring Predictions...

Long-range seasonal forecasts from The Old Farmer’s Almanac align with this whole "things will be warmer" theme. Their spring 2026 outlook calls for warmer-than-normal temperatures across much of the United States, with some wetter conditions especially here in the Upper Midwest and surrounding regions. Warmer springs often translate to earlier soil warming, which is great for gardeners, but also signal higher pollen counts for allergy sufferers.

Unlike NOAA’s scientifically driven models, long-range almanac predictions are based on solar science, climatology, and historical patterns, and sure, they're popular with many readers, but they’re best viewed as general trend guides instead of being precise forecasts.