Although winter may seem long and gray, its progress slowly unravels the spring. At first, the news does not seem good. Deep winter, a six-week period when high temperatures often stay below freezing, begins on January 1. And January 1-10: Sunrise is the latest of the year in most of the nation.
Then the worm turns:
January 11: The sun rises earlier for the first time since the middle of June.
January 26: Cardinals begin their spring mating songs, and Deep Winter ends.
January 27: The day's length reaches ten hours, and Late Winter begins – a three-week transition to Early Spring.
February 1: Doves start to call after sunrise.
February 4: Now there is one hour more daylight than on December 26.
February 14: Red-winged blackbirds arrive in Midwestern wetlands.
February 17 is Cross-Quarter Dayvwhen he Sun is halfway to equinox.
Average date for the start of Early Spring, a six-week period that gradually brings the landscape to life.
February 20: Crocuses and snowdrops bloom in mild years.
February 22: The day's length reaches eleven hours for the first time since October.
March 4: Pussy willows are usually completely open.
March 8: Earliest daffodils bloom.
March 19: Equinox occurs at 11:06 p.m.
March 25: Cabbage butterflies come looking for nectar.
March 31: The first bloodroot, Dutchman's britches, twinleaf and toothwort all come into bloom, opening the door to full Middle Spring.
This is Bill Felker with Poor Will’s Almanack. I’ll be back again next week with more notes on the seasons. In the meantime, try keeping your own natural calendar. It can make spring come even faster.
