fool's spring

English

Noun

fool's spring (uncountable)

1. A period of warm weather in early spring before a cold snap.
   • 1934 January 29, “Burros Braying, It Means Spring”, in The Spokesman-Review:

     "It may be spring and then again it may not be," is the Rocky mountain weather man's reply to questions whether it's a "fool's spring" or the real thing that has invaded the mountain country.

   • 1992, Meg Pei, Salaryman, Viking Penguin, page 186:

     {...} the days were longer now, lots of bright light, even though it was still just fool's spring and we had had snow just the other week.

   • 2021 February 25, Craig Webb, “Warm weather makes Ohioans think it's 'Fool's Spring'”, in Akron Beacon Journal:

     Northern Ohio is in the midst of what humorous folks on social media call Fool's Spring, which will be followed by Second Winter.

   • 2022 March 29, Amy Phipps, “Fool's spring sees warm spell make way for cold snap”, in BBC News:

     A spell of warm weather in March or April immediately followed by a cold snap is often called a "fool's spring".