Spring arrives at 11:57 a.m. Thursday.
Do I hear a, “finally” from you all?
It’s been a cold winter with three winter events.
December was not that cold. The average monthly temperature was 53.9 degrees, which is actually .8 degrees above normal. January ended up being the eighth coldest month on record at the airport with an average temperature of 47 degrees.
That’s 6.4 degrees below average. On Jan. 6, 7 and 8, we had lows in the mid 20s and a high on Jan. 7 of only 36 degrees.
February was not as cold. The average temp was 56.2 degrees, which is about .5 degrees below normal.
It’s still possible to have freezing temps after spring arrives Thursday.
The last freeze date at the Airport is 32 set April 8, 1971.
Audubon is 31 set March 27, 1955
Slidell is 32 set April 9, 2000
Hammond is 32 set April 15, 2008
Spring is called the vernal equinox, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is parallel to the sun. It’s not tilted away, and it’s not tilted toward the sun.
The center of the sun is right over the equator. That means there is equal daylight for both the northern and southern hemispheres.
After the vernal equinox, the sun’s rays begin traveling North making for longer days, shorter nights and warmer temps.
The summer solstice happens when the sun’s rays reach the farthest position north of the equator. That’s 23.5 degrees north.
This year, summer begins June 21 at 5:51 a.m.
We just had the March full moon known as the Full Worm Moon. The Native Americans in the northeast named it the Full Worm Moon because the soil is getting warmer and the worms are beginning to wiggle.
Down south, the worms are wiggling, and the plants are growing. Have you noticed the oak trees leafing out, weeds growing and pollen blowing in the air?
While many of us are really happy it’s warming up, it does come with a price. Spring is allergy season.
Spring is also considered Severe Weather Season.
March, April and May are the months with the greatest number of severe weather reports. Our strongest Tornadoes have historically happened in May. We also have a second peak in the fall.
Severe thunderstorms with 1-inch hail, 58 mph winds and even tornadoes are most likely to occur late afternoon into the evening.
The overnight tornadoes though are the most dangerous. This is when fatalities are most likely to occur. Severe storms can also cause flooding.
I love spring because of the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest and all the other great festivals.
The problem with spring is that Hurricane Season arrives June 1. As we all know, preparation is the biggest key to remaining safe. Be sure to download the WDSU Hurricane Central app and we'll keep you posted on any developments during the season.
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