ST. LOUIS — Springtime in St. Louis traditionally brings blooming flowers and trees, warmer temperatures and longer days of sunshine.
It can also bring severe weather. The 5 On Your Side weather team is giving you a sneak peek of the weather we will see this spring and how you can prepare for it in our spring weather special.
Springtime weather in La Nina tends to concentrate warmer, more humid air over the southern Plains states. This leads to better thunderstorm chances and a higher chance of hailstorms or tornadoes.
St. Louis is known for its hailstorms. In 2001 and 2012, two of the costliest ever in the U.S. occurred during April. Each produced more than a billion dollars in damage.
Watch the full special in the video player below.
The last stretch of March and into April appears to be the stormiest part of our spring and the wettest time.
The threat for major river flooding is lower this year since the rivers aren’t already running high like the last couple of years. It would be rare to not have some minor river flooding along the Mississippi River or Missouri River, but beyond that, it will take an awful lot of rain upstream.
Spring warmth will likely happen rapidly this year. Warmer than average temperatures appear likely into April. That means spring pollen will ramp up quickly. There may be a quick hit of cold air causing a frost or freeze in April, possibly affecting the apple and peach blossoms.
Strong to severe thunderstorm chances continue into May, but the warmer weather should be locked in. That means it will be safe to plant the summer flowers. While many times we do go frost-free after the middle of April, Mother's Day is always the safe bet.