Minnesota weather cooperating with folks needing a quiet walk

Anybody up for some good news? The weather outside — the one place everybody can safely, expert-approvingly and even therapeutically spread out — is more pleasant than usual this year.

Not only has this month been warmer overall than average in the Twin Cities, but March 2020 has achieved a bronze medal of sorts.

"Every single day this month, our highs have been above freezing," said Jacob Beitlich, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen. "That has only happened two other times since records began in 1873. ... It's kind of remarkable."

Feb. 28 was the last time in 2020 that the temperature failed to climb above 32 degrees. Only 2010, when the last below-freezing high was Feb. 26, and 1878, when the last freezing day was Feb. 10, 2010 — "weird, that was a long time, but that's what the data say," Beitlich said — have bested that feat.

To be clear, this March is warmer as an overall average. Peak temperatures are another matter. The month has not yet seen 70 degrees, as it did in March 2016, let alone 80, as it did in March 2012. Instead, highs (including those forecast through the 31st) dance between the high 30s and mid-50s.

No big deal for a Minnesotan, but not exactly balmy.

"I know, I know, I know," Beitlich said. Still, "the great thing about this time of year is our normal averages warm up pretty quickly."

Whether the air agrees or not, it has officially been spring since Thursday night. That was the day of this year's vernal equinox and astronomical spring or, as most people call it, "spring," said Bob King of Duluth, who writes an astronomy blog as "Astro Bob."

Astronomical spring varies each year from March 19 to March 21 because ... well, it gets kind of complicated, but you can read all about it on King's blog. "Meteorological spring" is always March 1, maybe because meteorologists have enough to deal with just predicting weather and like to keep their dates simple.

"I do not observe spring on March 1; in Duluth on March 1, I'm usually still out on skis," said King.

Many park trails, including those in the Three Rivers Park District, are open for recreation, such as walking, biking, hiking, nature photography, bird-watching and geocaching. Buildings, however, are closed to the public.

Flora and fauna have noticed the early warmth, said Alan Branhagen, operations director at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

"A lot of stuff looks really green," he said. "I see a lot of things that I didn't think would make it through the winter that did."

The arboretum itself is closed to the public, along with all parts of the University of Minnesota. But Branhagen has seen birds — including robins, bluebirds, red-winged blackbirds and turkey vultures — returning about a week earlier than average. Plants including dianthus, larkspur, snowdrops and skunk cabbage are about a week ahead of schedule, too.

Maple sap flows best when nights dip below 32 degrees and days climb above it, so it's been gushing this year, Branhagen said. The arboretum has its own maple syrup operation, and "as of Thursday we had 80 gallons," which might be double the norm, he said.

The closing has forced the arboretum to postpone its annual MapleFest brunch from March until May, but bottled syrup will be available for purchase.

"You bet — it's one of our favorite products," Branhagen said.

Katy Read • 612-673-4583