FIRST DAY OF SPRING CONTINUES TREND OF NICE WEATHER IN AREA

The first day of spring brought the best of spring-like weather Monday with the high temperature holding steady at around 75.

However, Scott Truett, forecaster for the National Weather Service in St. Louis, said the next several days likely will bring the kind of temperature fluctuation most associate with the change of seasons.

Monday was the first official day of the March equinox moving toward the summer solstice.

"I think we're going to see a more transitional weather pattern where it goes from the 50s and 60s to high 70s instead of staying in the 70s and even reaching the 80s," Truett said. "Surprisingly we've seen a more constant weather pattern leading into spring."

Al Robertson, a climatologist and professor of health and leisure at Southeast Missouri State University, said owners of peach orchards are keeping a constant watch on the weather.

"There's still a chance the Canadian air could come through the Midwest, and that would be bad for peach orchards," Robertson said. "Last year they lost 80 percent of their crop because of the cold front that came through here at this time of year."

Robertson said the past several days brought weather similar to the kind of temperatures that normally occur in May. "The last few days, the 15th and 17th, we tied the record high with 79 on the 15th and 77 on the 17th," Robertson said. From March 12 to 18, the highs ranged from 72 to 79.

Sunday's temperature reached a high of 81. "It looks like winter is behind us," Robertson said.

Said Truett, "It's still not going to get very cold, but I think we'll see a wider gap between cool and hot temperatures in the next three to five days."