If this month’s weather has felt unpredictable, that’s because it is.

Meteorologist Dan Tomaso joined The Spark with Asia Tabb to explain why March in Pennsylvania often brings dramatic swings—from warm, sunny days to snow and severe weather in a matter of hours.

“It’s been a busy couple of weeks now, and part of that just kind of is March,” Tomaso said. “You can get some snow, you can get thunderstorms, you can get some really nice days too.”

Those rapid changes were on full display recently, with temperatures climbing near 70 degrees before plunging sharply after a powerful cold front moved through the region.

“We knew there was going to be a 40-degree drop,” Tomaso said. “When you see something that drastic… that’s when you expect a lot of explosiveness in the atmosphere.”

That system brought severe weather across parts of the country, including tornado activity in the Midwest, before reaching the Mid-Atlantic. While the local impact was less intense, conditions still prompted a tornado watch across much of the region.

“There was so much twisting and turning in the atmosphere,” Tomaso said. “That was an easy tornado day to spot.”

Although no tornadoes were confirmed locally during the watch, a brief EF0 tornado was reported just south of the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland. Tomaso said this type of short-lived event is typical for the region.

“Most tornadoes we see are brief and affect only a small number of places,” he said.

The same system also brought one of the week’s most surprising moments—snow following a stretch of warm weather.

“That part is really unique to early fall and early spring,” Tomaso said. “You can get that big temperature change so quickly.”

He explained that while surface temperatures remained relatively warm, colder air higher in the atmosphere allowed snow to form and fall, even if it didn’t stick to roads.

“The atmosphere is like a cake. There’s many layers,” he said. “The layers above us were much, much colder… that’s a good recipe for snow.”

Fortunately, the impact was minimal due to warm ground temperatures from the previous day.

“That’s the kind of snow I like because it doesn’t impact people,” Tomaso added.

The week’s shifting conditions—from near 80-degree warmth to winter-like cold—are a hallmark of the transition into spring.

“Winter was trying to fight back in many ways,” he said.

As for the difference between a watch and a warning, Tomaso said understanding that distinction is key during severe weather season.

“A watch simply means… there’s the right setup for that severe weather,” he explained. “When a warning hits, that’s when there’s either visual confirmation… or radar indication that a tornado could form.”

Looking ahead, Tomaso says the forecast is settling into a more typical spring pattern, with mild temperatures and periodic chances for rain.

Saturday is expected to bring cooler but pleasant conditions, while Sunday could see temperatures climb into the upper 60s or even near 70 degrees—depending on when the next system arrives.

“If the rain holds off long enough, I think it’s going to be a really nice day Sunday,” he said.

Even so, more fluctuations are on the way as the season continues to shift.

“As things warm up, generally rain follows,” Tomaso said.

For now, the message is simple: in Pennsylvania, spring doesn’t arrive all at once—it comes in waves.