In many respects March is a fascinating month because it's a month of
transition and there is an abundance of variety to its weather -- more
variety and more frequent changes, in fact, than in any other month.
We're currently in a warming regime in the short term, and it will
culminate with afternoon readings in the middle or upper 60s on Tuesday.
That's a far cry from the wintry chill of last week. Tuesday's expected
high of 67 degrees will be the mildest temperature here in 130 days --
since 71 degrees last November 5. Weather-seasoned Chicagoans understand
full well that a lengthy string of 60-degree days is an expectation
unlikely to be fulfilled in middle March. And as if on cue, the next
surge of much cooler air arrives Wednesday and daytime temperatures full
back into the upper 40s (which is the climatological normal high for
March 18).
Rain douses the South
Widespread steady rain that began in Texas on Thursday has spread across
a broad expanse of the South, and it's very welcome. Most of the region
from Oklahoma and Texas east to the Atlantic Coast is suffering through
moderate to severe drought conditions. A long-duration soaking rain is
exactly what
those areas want and need.
