The groundhogs lied to us. Spring begins for Central Indiana with sub-freezing weather

That furry rodent in Pennsylvania may have lied to us. While temperatures so far this year in Central Indiana have trended on the warm side, the first week of spring for Indianapolis promises to be chilly and, at times, bitterly cold.

Snow flurries Monday and sub-freezing temperatures Wednesday will greet Hoosiers this week, according to the National Weather Service.

The first day of spring, Tuesday, will see highs in the mid-50s with breezy winds gusting around 25 mph before temperatures drop into the mid-30s. Wednesday's low is expected to hover around 24 with highs in the mid-40s and 50s the rest of the week.

It's almost as if spring woke up, looked around Central Indiana, then decided to hit the snooze alarm button to get 5 more minutes of sleep.

Here's what meteorologists with NWS say the weather will be like for Hoosiers during the week of March 18, 2024.

What's the weather forecast in Central Indiana this week?

Monday: Scattered flurries before 1 p.m., then isolated snow showers between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., then scattered flurries with isolated snow showers after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Monday night: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 26. West wind 9 to 11 mph.

Tuesday, first day of spring: Sunny, with a high near 56. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14-19 mph increasing to 20-25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph.

Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. West northwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 47. West northwest wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 24. North northwest wind 7 to 15 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. East wind 6 to 9 mph.

Thursday night: A 30 percent chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. East southeast wind around 10 mph.

Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers before 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. East wind around 10 mph.

Friday night: A slight chance of showers between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. North northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

What is the last day of winter in 2024?

The last day of winter is Monday, March 18, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

When is the first day of spring in 2024?

The first day of spring is Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

What are the dates for the four seasons in 2024?

• First day of spring: March 19, 2024

• First day of summer: June 20, 2024

• First day of fall: Sept. 22, 2024

• First day of winter: Dec. 21, 2024

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John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @JTuftsReports.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Spring 2024 begins in Central Indiana; here's the forecast