As the calendar turns from February to March, spring break season will begin across Florida. But will the weather cooperate with beach and outdoor plans?
Spring break season is one of the busiest times of the year in the sunshine state, with tourists pouring in for relief from cold weather, and many local schools taking a week off.
It is also a time of year where people become very attentive to the weather, with so many outdoor activities in March.
From the beaches to theme parks to rocket launches, there are a lot of of outdoor activities that are weather-dependent.
Much of late February has featured warm temperatures and right now, that pattern will likely continue into March.
The 8-14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center shows a likely chance of above-average temperatures across much of the state.
We’re also expecting below-average rainfall for the early part of March.
A key reason for this weather is the weak La Niña pattern that remains in place. This pattern keeps the jet stream well to the north of the sunshine state, keeping the region warmer and drier than average.
If you have spring break plans for later in the month, this weather pattern will likely become stagnant across the area.
The long-term outlook for the entire month of March keeps above-average temperatures across Florida.
We also expect precipitation to be below-average for the rest of the month.
So, what are the averages for the month of March?
In Orlando, the average high on March 1 is 77. By mid-March, the high temperature is in the upper 70s, and on March 31, the average high is 81.
With above-average temperatures expected, residents and tourists should expect highs in the upper 70s and low to mid-80s.
Florida doesn’t pick up much rainfall in March, with the average rainfall in Orlando at 3.03 inches.
While the dry weather will mean minimal issues for outdoor plans, Florida could use some rainfall.
Parts of north Florida and the panhandle are now in a moderate drought, so parts of the state may not be as leafy green as usual.
The bottom line for spring break plans, grab the sunglasses and flip-flops and expect warm and dry weather.