Well-Above Normal Temperatures this Spring Amid Varying Precipitation Departures

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV

........WELL-ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES THIS SPRING WITH VARYING PRECIPITATION DEPARTURES........

Compared to historical records and the 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals, it was a very warm
spring across the NWS Charleston forecast area, even record setting in some cases. The spring
season encapsulates the period of March 1st through May 31st. Mean temperatures for the 2026
spring season were generally 2 to 6 degrees above normal. This translated into all six official
NWS Charleston climate locations making the Top 5 in terms of their warmest mean spring
temperatures on record. In fact, Huntington had its warmest spring on record, while Elkins tied
for the warmest on record.

Precipitation totals this spring varied across the forecast area, ranging from approximately
8 to 17 inches, with the heaviest totals being across the far northern portion of the County
Warning Area in parts of southeast Ohio and the northern West Virginia lowlands, where a surplus
of approximately 1 to 5 inches occurred. The CoCoRaHS station just northeast of Stuart, Ohio
(Athens County) observed 17.00 inches this spring. The opposite was true across northeast
Kentucky, central and southern West Virginia, and southwest Virginia where below normal
precipitation occurred across the vast majority of the area, with most locations ending up
1 to 5 inches below normal, even slightly greater in some cases. For instance, the Charleston
Weather Forecast Office observed only 8.27 inches, resulting in a spring deficit of 5.44 inches.
Even with these precipitation departures across the forecast area, no top 10s were set at any
of the official NWS Charleston climate locations in terms of the wettest or driest springs on
record.

Snowfall totals for the spring season across the forecast area trended towards below normal,
although pockets of near to slightly above normal snowfall did occur in some areas, primarily
across portions of the central and northern lowlands. No Top 10s were set this spring at any of
the official NWS Charleston climate locations in terms of snowfall.

Listed below are the locations, observed values, and Top 10s that were set this spring, along
with the record values.

                           Spring 2026 Top 10s Set (Mean Temperature)
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  Location           Observed Value    Top 10 Rank                      Record Value
- Beckley, WV        -> 56.8 F         : 2nd Warmest on Record          -> 57.6 F (2012)
- Charleston, WV     -> 59.8 F         : Tied 3rd Warmest on Record     -> 60.7 F (1921)
- Clarksburg, WV     -> 56.9 F         : 3rd Warmest on Record          -> 57.4 F (2012/2024)
- Elkins, WV         -> 54.9 F         : Tied Warmest on Record         -> 54.9 F (2012/2024)
- Huntington, WV     -> 61.8 F         : Warmest on Record              -> 61.0 F (1921)
- Parkersburg, WV    -> 58.0 F         : Tied 3rd Warmest on Record     -> 58.4 F (2012)
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