CLEVELAND (WJW) — Our chances for a white winter in 2023 came and went. Now the opportunities for spring green buds to pop up in Northeast Ohio are here sooner than expected.

FOX 8 meteorologists broke down the amount of snowfall over the last 10 years, showing only 18″ total recorded through the last week of meteorological winter in 2023. March 1 kicked off meteorological spring!

From the start of the snowy season through Feb. 15, we only saw 14 days with at least 1″ of snow on the ground:

FOX 8 meteorologist Jenn Harcher explains that it’s actually spring’s warmth and abundant sunshine that encourage buds to open.

But we’ve had a high number of days with above-normal, spring-like temperatures all winter:

Almost two dozen days reached at or above 50°!

“If our temperature trend continues, the beginnings of spring color on the trees will run at least three weeks or more ahead of schedule here in northern Ohio,” FOX 8 meteorologist Scott Sabol said.

Scott explained that the occurrence of buds and leaf beginnings along the Ohio River is maybe a once in a 30-year occurrence in late February.

Astronomical spring, also known as the spring equinox, is March 20. We turn clocks ahead March 12.