“Spring, are we there yet?” That was a question I kept repeating to myself over the fluctuating weather of the past weeks.
The calendar boasted less than 15 days until spring, or the vernal equinox, which is scheduled for Monday, March 20. On a side note, we spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings time on Sunday, March 12.
The calendar boasted less than 15 days until spring, or the vernal equinox, which is scheduled for Monday, March 20. On a side note, we spring forward an hour for Daylight Savings time on Sunday, March 12.
 While the wall calendar said it's not spring, last week several National Weather Service offices’ Facebook posts announced that March 1 marked the beginning of meteorological spring in the northern hemisphere. |  |
As the offices welcomed the beginning of their spring, they also wrapped up February’s weather stats.
A Feb. 22 post from the National Weather Service Office in Cleveland, Ohio, said “It could be one of the least snowiest Februarys on record! Cleveland, Toledo, and Mansfield are currently (as of Feb 22) on track for No. 1 least snowiest. Youngstown and Akron-Canton are on track for No. 2 least snowfall. Erie, Pa., is No. 3.”
A graphic listed that, as of Feb. 22, Erie had 1.6 inches of snow for this year which was only slightly above the total .50” for 1998.
A Feb. 22 post from the National Weather Service Office in Cleveland, Ohio, said “It could be one of the least snowiest Februarys on record! Cleveland, Toledo, and Mansfield are currently (as of Feb 22) on track for No. 1 least snowiest. Youngstown and Akron-Canton are on track for No. 2 least snowfall. Erie, Pa., is No. 3.”
A graphic listed that, as of Feb. 22, Erie had 1.6 inches of snow for this year which was only slightly above the total .50” for 1998.
A post by Erie News Now's meteorologist A.J. Mastrangelo said that “snowfall (or lack thereof) was the 6th least in recorded history.” A graphic on the page touted that the city’s average winter snowfall is 77.5” compared to this year’s dismal 19.3”.
The post relayed that the city saw more snow in November than during the rest of the season.
The post relayed that the city saw more snow in November than during the rest of the season.
The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh posted that “February 2023 was the least snowy February on record with just 0.2 inches of snowfall and the fourth warmest February on record for Pittsburgh.”
The Pittsburgh office celebrated the first day of meteorological spring on March 1 by saying “five of our six climate sites either tied or broke their daily record high temperature."
“Pittsburgh fell one degree short of the record, clocking a high of 71°, with the record 72° set back in 1972,” the post continued.
The Pittsburgh office celebrated the first day of meteorological spring on March 1 by saying “five of our six climate sites either tied or broke their daily record high temperature."
“Pittsburgh fell one degree short of the record, clocking a high of 71°, with the record 72° set back in 1972,” the post continued.
The office went on to report that “winter 2022-2023 was the 12th least snowy winter for Pittsburgh with just 11.1 inches between December and February (meteorological winter). It was also the eighth warmest winter on record.”
A little closer to home, the National Weather Service weather station at the Franklin Airport recorded the high for March 1 at 61 degrees at 4:56 p.m.
However, things went downhill from there. The high for March 2, according to the station, was 48 degrees. Highs for March 3, 4 and 5 hovered in the low 40s.
While the warmer temps were welcome, the weather service cautioned that it may not last.
The office in Pittsburgh posted that “probabilities are increasing that the middle to late portions of March will feature below normal temperature (normal average temperature rises from 35° to 45° through the month).”
Folks can view graphics on the potential cool down from the NOAA NWS Climate Prediction Center at NOAA by clicking on "Interactive" to view different ones.
A little closer to home, the National Weather Service weather station at the Franklin Airport recorded the high for March 1 at 61 degrees at 4:56 p.m.
However, things went downhill from there. The high for March 2, according to the station, was 48 degrees. Highs for March 3, 4 and 5 hovered in the low 40s.
While the warmer temps were welcome, the weather service cautioned that it may not last.
The office in Pittsburgh posted that “probabilities are increasing that the middle to late portions of March will feature below normal temperature (normal average temperature rises from 35° to 45° through the month).”
Folks can view graphics on the potential cool down from the NOAA NWS Climate Prediction Center at NOAA by clicking on "Interactive" to view different ones.
From those weather service posts, I surmised it was not, yet time go without a "clout."
An article by Ben Reed on spring season sayings inspired a new word use and phrase for me.
“Cast not a clout until May is out” is described by Reed as an "English saying that warns against casting aside winter clothing too early in the year.”
The post elaborated on the phrase by saying “'clout" is an Old English word meaning "patch of cloth." In later times, this term widened to include garments in general.
An article by Ben Reed on spring season sayings inspired a new word use and phrase for me.
“Cast not a clout until May is out” is described by Reed as an "English saying that warns against casting aside winter clothing too early in the year.”
The post elaborated on the phrase by saying “'clout" is an Old English word meaning "patch of cloth." In later times, this term widened to include garments in general.
I secretly hoped that I wouldn’t have to wait until May for warmer temps. Nonetheless, I continued looking at other spring weather sayings.
Of course, there’s always the Mark Twain that said, "In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours." The quote seemed to adequately describe the weather this season.
It seemed that snow, rain, wind, cold, sunshine and warmth could all be experienced within just a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. I felt like March’s winds and April’s showers had all been crammed into the month of February.
It seemed that snow, rain, wind, cold, sunshine and warmth could all be experienced within just a matter of hours, sometimes minutes. I felt like March’s winds and April’s showers had all been crammed into the month of February.
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| However, I felt a quote attributed to American screenwriter and novelist, Millard Kaufman appropriately summed up this time of year. "I glanced out the window at the signs of spring. The sky was almost blue, the trees were almost budding, the sun was almost bright.” I saw some budding trees and lilacs. Their buds remained tightly closed against the cold. Some of my snowflake flowers had bloomed and survived a wintry blast of snow already. I planted some snowdrop flowers last year to replace some of mine that had died out. I think I saw one of the newbies forcing its way above ground. Meanwhile, in the basement, a few gerbera daisies and a Shasta daisy flower made an appearance. And I was able to capture my first robin photo of the season. |  |
However, as another saying declares, "not one sparrow makes a spring."
That’s just the nature of things ‘round here.
That’s just the nature of things ‘round here.
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