"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn," wrote Hal Borland. The coldest 90 days of the year, on average, are behind us now. Meteorological spring starts today, which seems like cheating after the relatively easy winter we just muddled through. According to the Minnesota DNR's Winter Misery Index and the Midwestern Regional Climate Center, Minnesota and the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. just experienced a "mild" winter. No kidding.
"I saw my first red-winged blackbird at Bredesen Park in Edina this morning. That's the earliest ever!" Jack Falker e-mailed me yesterday. "Just watch the birds because they know what's happening instinctively, as opposed to a lot of clueless humans," Jack added.
A quick burst of slush early today gives way to flurries and highs in the 30s — average for March 1. A few chilly days on tap, then 50s by next Sunday. European model data hint at 60 late next week.
Wet snow can't be ruled out next Monday, but anything that falls should melt quickly.
