March Musings

Yesterday I was trying to think of a blog post for this week. My wife suggested the weather since I kept track of daily highs and lows.   On my walk that day it occurred to me that March is a month with some rather interesting cultural and natural circumstances that combined create quite the notoriety for a rather dismal month.  Perhaps we celebrate due the transition the month represents.  There is the Ides of March (march 15), March Madness (basketball tournaments), St. Patrick's Day, the vernal, or spring, Equinox, and the end of standard and beginning of day light savings time.  This year, weather wise, March came in like a lion.  I would argue, with a high anticipated of 8 degrees below normal, it did not go out like a lamb. 

Goldfinch

Let me begin with the weather.  While the high temperature in Madison on the first of the month was 30 degrees, or six degrees below the normal high, a few days later, on March 4, the temperature struggled reaching only a high of 7 degrees and a record low for the date of -10 degrees.  Showing how temperatures can quickly climb in March, by the fourth the normal high is 38; this meant the high for that day was 32 degrees below the normal high.  The low temperature was also 32 degrees below the normal low for the date.  (The record low for the whole month of -29, was set in 1962 on the first day of the month.) The following week this year, the high was 42 degrees, or right about normal for the date.  The variety in temperature is significant, because the snowy late January through February, coupled with rain led to significant flooding issues, particularly since the ground was still saturated from the heavy rains from last summer into fall. March weather can be highly variable, as seen this year.  From beginning to end, the normal high increases 14 degrees from 36 to 50 degrees, and the normal low 10 degrees from 20 to 30.  

Robin

A temperature change from 36 to 50 is, to the person more than a change from say from 10 to 24.  At 50 you can get by with a light weight coat or sweat shirt, and in the spring the sun may allow for no coat.  At 24 you still have a winter coat on.  March is also known for its winds, and kite flying, although I seldom see children flying kites anymore.  The wind helps to dry the ground, but it also can cause blustery days, such as this weekend   Today, on my walk just after nine am, the windchill was 19 degrees.  Not lamb like temperatures for a month having come in like a lion.

Hyacinth emerging, southerly face flower bed

Weather patterns are not the only natural event for the month.  The vernal equinox, for the northern hemisphere, occurred on 20 March, with the daylight being equal to its darkness.  This is the astronomical start of spring, but the meteorological spring began on March 1.  Meteorologists, are probably like the groundhog, taking advantage of any situation to their benefit.  This year, probably because of the cold weather in the early part of the month, I did not hear a forecaster talking about March being their spring.  They preferred to wait for the equinox.  

Tulips, westerly side of house

March is also known for its cultural events.  The time change slid earlier into March several years ago in an attempt to preserve energy, but they found out that while the longer days may not use as much house lighting, people are out and about more in their cars. Electrical energy savings is then offset by use of gasoline.  Time change does not have to occur, it is a cultural occurrence to adjust the clock to our hours.  Between the Time change and equinox is the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was murdered.  Its folk lore, and tales with the soothsayer have become its own industry and stands as a hallmark of deceit and traitors.  Although, Judas may rank ahead of Brutus and the others.  Another celebration between the the Ides of March and the equinox is St. Patrick's Day, the feast day of St. Patrick. Many communities have parades and other celebrations for the day.

Daffodils emerging, with winter mulch  stuck to leaves

The current main cultural phenomenon for March is March Madness, particularly the NCAA tournament where little work gets accomplished the Monday after the brackets are released and for the following Thursday and Fridays in two consecutive weeks.  This may rank higher in non-productivity than cyber Monday if your team received an invitation to the tournament.  This year, as the brackets were released many were surprised to see Gonzaga as  a #1 seed, and many predicted them to lose to a tall and physical Florida State team since that is the type of match-up in which they have had trouble this year.  They ended up succumbing to Texas Tech, the top ranked defensive team in the nation. The biggest issue raised was why Michigan State (MSU), the overall #5 seed was placed as the #2 seed in the bracket with overall #1 seed Duke.  This even though Michigan, also a #2 seed was placed in the same bracket as the fourth overall seed, Gonzaga.  MSU defeated Big Blue twice in the regular season and again in the Big Ten Championship game.  As the overall top #2 seed MSU should have been placed in the bracket with Gonzaga.  Duke, who won two close games, to advance to the Elite Eight will face MSU Sunday to see which teams goes to the final four.  Why this match-up?  In my mind, one need look no further than television, and the selection committee responding to CBS.  A MSU-Duke match pits two perennial power houses against each other.  Although MSU has only one win and 11 losses to Duke.  Duke attracts top talent, along with North Carolina, and feature some one and done freshman phenom players.  The question is not why Duke is there, but how other less talented teams are able to even compete with Duike who needed some questionable referee calls to advance.  Is the fix in just as it was for the Patriots winning the Super Bowl?  

As the days lengthen and warm, and winter changes to spring, crocus, daffodils and tulips rise from the cold earth.  Migratory birds start to return.  I don't know what the weather forecast will bring for April, but I do know that our cultural events seem to mimic the transition of the weather from winter to spring.

 Images by author, 3/30/2019