“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade,” wrote Charles Dickens. He could have been talking about Minnesota, where March is an acquired taste.
When I got here in 1983, March was the snowiest month of the year. Based on the latest 1991-2020 averages from NOAA, March is now the fourth-snowiest month of the year, behind December (11.4 inches), January (11 inches) and February (9.5 inches). An average of 8.2 inches falls in March now. We got that in one day, on Sunday.
This storm, however aggravating for commuters, was white gold, with 1 to 2 inches of liquid precipitation falling as snow and rain, coming before spring planting. Good news for anyone who likes to eat and see water in their favorite lake.
Welcome to the coldest day in sight, with 20s and bright sun Wednesday. We thaw out Thursday, with 40s over Easter weekend and a shot at 50s by late next week. The snow in your yard will melt, fueling a spring green-up in April. Weeds, anyone?
