Spring to get its earliest start in more than a century

Spring will arrive weeks earlier than normal - on the calendar, that is.

Crocus blooming in Portland.Rosemarie Stein/Staff

Get ready to hear something many Great Lakes residents are beginning to crave this time of year: We are going to talk about spring.

We’re about to have the earliest spring of our lives.

Well, on the calendar anyway. While “meteorological spring” started this weekend (March 1 - May 31), the beginning of spring for most people is marked by the Spring Equinox. This year, it happens on March 19. That makes it the earliest date for the start of spring in 124 years - since 1896, to be exact.

This little tidbit comes courtesy of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, which goes into great detail explaining why we are having an earlier-than-usual spring. It has to do with some in-depth calendar details, Leap Years, some century marks, and a long explanation that looks suspiciously like a math class. To see for yourself, check the Almanac’s site here.

This week, the weather pattern across the Great Lakes is already getting into the spring swing of things when it comes to the temperatures.

Highs on many days will be in the 40s. Some could flirt with 50 degrees.

Although Mother Nature may still have a few winter tricks up her Elsa-like sleeves in the days and weeks to come.

“While temperatures are expected to average above normal over the next week or more, occasional chances for wintry weather will remain possible as several clipper systems are lined up to cross the northern Great Lakes through the end of the week,” staff at the National Weather Service office in Gaylord said.

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