Another mild one in the record books
March just went into the weather record books as a mild and wet month. Temperatures averaged 7 degrees above normal for our region and rainfall was also above normal at 4.69 inches. Call it what you want, the trend in recent years has been for much milder winters and more rain than snow.
We had no below zero temperatures in Uniontown, Connellsville or Brownsville and very little in the way of snow. March usually averages 7 inches of snow. This year saw about an inch. Even the mountains only had a few snows this winter and they did not last very long. March saw a low temperature of only 19 and a high of 84.
Later falls, milder winters and earlier springs along with hotter summers could be the new norm for us. Recent articles about the changing climate suggest a shift of about 150 miles giving us weather more like Northern Virginia and Virginia more like North Carolina and Carolina more like Georgia. Much remains to be seen if this trend will continue, but clearly something big is going on. The entire Southeast had a very warm winter and Florida had many new records for heat in February and March. While a softer winter may be welcome in our area, it is not without its problems. Nature needs to keep its rhythm and many of our plants and animals rely on that rhythm for survival.
Speaking of nature, dear Mother Nature is ready for her annual spring show. A walk in the mountain woods today revealed a new carpet of spring wildflowers beginning to push up through the winter debris of leaves and twigs. Lavender spring beauties and white and red trillium and my favorite the white blood root are early bloomers.With many confined to home a walk in any of our woods will give you a chance to view Mother Nature at her finest.
The show changes every few days and I have decided to make a chart on the garage wall to record the wildflowers as they bloom each week. A lot of books and websites make identification of our wildflowers easy and perhaps parents with children could use the unfolding of spring as a learning experience. The PlantSnap app is also a great tool in helping to identify wildflowers and plants. Just snap a picture on your phone and it usually is able to identify the plant. My wife, Diane, and I do have a few differences of opinion with the app, but still a good source for information about wildflowers and plants.
In town, shrubs and bushes are a blaze of color and the early spring trees are in full bloom. The Magnolias are especially vibrant this year as they have had plenty of moisture and not too much cold weather or frost. The wind last week did knock off a few blossoms and just a reminder if you are out walking or hiking your favorite trail be aware of the vast amount of dead trees and detached limbs that could be a problem.
Looking ahead, the Climate Prediction Center is calling for temperatures next week to have a 40% chance of being above normal and rainfall to be about normal. For the month of April, the forecast is for above normal temperature and rainfall about normal. That trend should continue through May and June with warmer than normal temperatures and rainfall again above average.
The milder and drier days should make for some time to get out for a bit of fresh air and a walk. Please avoid overcrowded parks and trails and remember to keep a safe distance. Don鈥檛 forget to jot down what you see on your walk or hike.