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  • 8 ways to celebrate Earth Day

    Every year on April 22, people around the world celebrate Earth Day. It marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. 

    More than 1 billion people in over 193 countries participate in Earth Day every year with a collective goal of making our planet a better place. Whether it’s educating, advocating or mobilizing in your community, there are lots of different ways to help.

    What You Need To Know

    • April 22 is Earth Day

    • It marks the birth of the modern environment movement in 1970

    • This year’s theme is “Our Power, Our Planet”

    • Weather Explained: Earth Day



    The idea of Earth Day came about in the 1960s, when people starting becoming more aware of how environmental pollution threatens human health.

    Prior to the EPA being created in 1970, Americans drove inefficient cars that used leaded gas and industries were free to pollute the environment with harmful smoke and gas. In 1969, a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, Calfiornia, inspired action for students and Americans to become more conscious about air and water pollution.

    Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson and young environmental activists created “Earth Day” as a day of protest in 1970, choosing a day between Spring Break and final exams to maximize student participation. At the time, more than 20 million Americans joined to demonstrate against industries that were polluting the environment.

    Since its establishment, it’s continued to grow into a worldwide movement, with millions of participants in hundreds of countries every year on April 22. Each year has a different theme for people to focus on. Earth Day’s 2025 theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” calling for everyone to unite around renewable energy so we can triple clean electricity by 2030.

    You can learn more about the history of Earth Day and its initiatives here.

    How you can participate

    There are a lot of simple ways to celebrate Earth Day and make an impact, no matter how big or small. A simple way to start could be buying reusable bags for your trips to the grocery store, or getting a reusable water bottle instead of drinking out of single-use plastic bottles.

    If you want to be more involved, you could pick up trash around your neighborhood or community, or plan to carpool or take public transportation. There is no action too small!

    Here are eight ways you can make every day Earth Day.

    If you want to go out in the community and help with others, there are Earth Day events all around the world.

    Learn more about Earth Day activities in your community with the interactive map below. 

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • The hummingbird migration is underway

    Temperatures are on the rise, green is showing up and hummingbirds are on the move. All signs that spring is here.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hummingbirds are being farther north into the Plains and Mid-Atlantic

    • Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds return to North America every spring

    • Hummingbirds return to the same area every migration in search of food



    Since March, colorful Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds having been showing up at feeders and in gardens across the eastern half of the United States. The small birds have continued their long journey home after escaping the winter cold.

    In recent weeks, these hummingbirds have been reported as far north as Kansas City, St. Louis, and even New York.

    The spring migration

    As temperatures continue to warm, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds will appear farther north, reaching the Midwest and Northeast by early May. These birds will then remain across the Eastern U.S. until November comes again, and they make their way back south.

    The journey hummingbirds make is miraculous. The migration back over the Gulf every spring can take 18-22 hours as they can fly over 1,200 miles without a break!

    How you can help the hummingbirds

    Before the hummingbirds begin appearing in your yards, be sure to have those feeders ready and take part in their migration.

    The Mississippi State University Extension Service has some helpful tips if you are looking to attract hummingbirds:

    • Prepare a homemade nectar for them to feed on. Mix four parts water and one-part sugar and boil for two minutes. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before filling the feeder. The mixture will spoil in the heat, so change the mixture every three to five days.
    • Always clean the feeders well with hot soapy water and rinse before the first use and each time you refill them throughout the season to help reduce bacteria growth. You can store any leftover mixture in the refrigerator for easy use.
    • Hummingbirds are pollinators and feed on many plants commonly found in landscapes. Plants like begonia, petunia, nasturtium and zinnia are great annuals to incorporate into your yard. Other perennials and shrubs hummingbirds are fond of include butterfly weed, lantana, azaleas and salvia.

    If you would like to know more information about the annual hummingbird migration visit here.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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  • April’s full moon is called the ‘Pink Moon’

    April’s full moon is this weekend, and it’s called the “Pink Moon.” It is also going to be a micromoon.

    It will peak Saturday at 8:22 p.m. ET.

    What You Need To Know

    • Saturday’s full moon is also known as the ‘Pink Moon’

    • It’s the first full moon of the spring

    • The first full moon after March 21 sets the date of Easter


    The Pink Moon didn’t get its name from the its color. Rather, it got its name from a flower. Since it’s the first full moon of the spring, it usually coincides with the blooming of pink wildflowers, or phlox.

    (Pixabay)

    This year’s Pink Moon is also the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon after the spring equinox. It marks the start of Passover and determines the date of Easter every year. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21, or after the Paschal full moon.

    It’s also going to be a “micromoon,” so it will appear smaller than a regular full moon. It’s not because the moon is actually smaller, but because of the farther distance from the Earth, also known as apogee.

    It will reach its peak illumination at 8:22 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 12.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • ‘No more changing of the clocks’: Trump calls for permanent daylight saving time

    It’s been just over a month since we “sprang forward” and changed the clocks to daylight saving time. President Donald Trump said on Friday we should remain on it permanently. 

    This is a stark contrast to what he was saying in December. 

    “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote on his social media back on Dec. 13, 2024. 

    However, his Truth Social Post on Friday was boasting something completely different.

    A hearing convened Thursday by the Senate Commerce Committee was debating this issue. Trump’s endorsement might help settle the debate for lawmakers. 

    Sunshine Protection Act

    On March 15, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, meaning Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year to account for the time change. 

    While the Senate passed the bill, nearly three years later it remains stalled in the House and has not been signed into law by President Trump.

    Vote in Live Poll: Cancel daylight saving time or stay on it permanently?

    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Allergies change with the weather and the seasons

    It’s the time of year that many people dread. It’s certainly not the warmer temperatures, but the seasonal allergies they suffer through when all the trees and plants explode, sending massive amounts of pollen grains into the air.

    It might surprise you to know that the weather can affect your allergies. If you feel congested when it rains, or have runny and watery eyes when it’s windy outside, you might have weather-related allergies.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dry, windy days can increase pollen issues

    • Mold levels usually pick up during damp weather

    • Grass and tree pollen is often worst in the spring into summer

    • Ragweed allergies pick up going into fall

    Allergic reactions occur when your immune system reacts to an allergen—anything your body identifies as “foreign.” Allergy symptoms can be similar to symptoms from other conditions, such as the common cold. These symptoms are often worse if you also have asthma.

    The symptoms include watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, congestion and coughing. These symptoms can be fairly mild and just a nuisance treated with over-the-counter medications, or can be quite debilitating and cause the patient to seek out special treatments.

    When you find yellow dust covering your car, you know what pollen looks like. This fine, dust-like substance helps fertilize plants.

    (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

    With all that pollen in the air, certain types of weather conditions can play a role in which days can be worse for the allergy sufferers.

    Dry, windy days can certainly cause allergy symptoms to spike. Wind plays a big role in pollen levels. It is very lightweight, and is easily picked up and carried through the air when it’s dry and windy. The allergen is then in the air you breathe, in very large amounts.

    Mold is another source of allergy symptoms on dry, windy days. Molds and fungi are very common outdoors, and wind can pick up their spores (seeds) and spread them around.

    (File Photo)

    Allergy symptoms can also be worse on humid, rainy days. Although mold spores often spread through wind, some types of mold spread when humidity is higher. Spores from these types of mold travel through fog or dew.

    Humid, rainy days can sometimes be beneficial for people with pollen allergies. When pollen gets wet, it becomes heavier, making it more likely to stay on the ground rather than in the air where you might breathe it in.

    However, rain can sometimes have the opposite effect on pollen. When humidity is very high, pollen particles can actually explode and leak allergenic proteins into the air. This often happens during a thunderstorm.

    (File Photo)

    Also, different seasons bring with them different types of allergies.

    Spring

    Spring allergies typically start in February and end toward June. This is because of plant pollination cycles. Large amounts of pollen from grasses and trees are present in the spring when temperatures are cooler at night and warmer during the day.

    Pollen levels are highest in the evenings during the spring.

    Summer

    Pollen season for grass and trees continues into the summer. Pollen levels are highest in the evenings at the beginning of summer. Ragweed pollen season hits later in the summer, with higher pollen levels in the mornings.

    (File Photo)

    Fall

    Fewer plant allergens are present in the air when fall hits, but ragweed pollen season continues into early fall. Mold can also be present in damp areas, such as near piles of dead leaves.

    (File Photo)

    The best way to deal with allergies is to try to avoid those days when the weather can play an adverse role and, of course, keep your allergy medication close at hand.

    Meteorologist Scott Dean

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  • March kicked off a busy spring severe weather season

    After a record-setting number of tornadoes last year, 2025 has started off with a well above-average number of tornadoes thanks to the month of March and its near-record tornado count.

    What You Need To Know

    • March 2025 tallied more than 200 tornadoes, that’s more than double than an average March

    • 15 EF3 and EF4 tornadoes were observed in March

    • Three separate multi-day outbreaks occurred during the month


    Based on a 25-year average from 1999 to 2023, March accounts for 95 tornadoes, which is the fifth-highest total on a per-month basis. March 2025 accounted for more than double that number, with at least 215 tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service. These numbers are preliminary and will be verified later in the year. 

    The usual hot spots for tornado formation during the spring were hit hard by multiple outbreaks during the month. However, a few states that rarely see severe weather in the spring saw tornadoes as well, including West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

    Tornado damage from an EF3 tornado near Alton, Mo. on March 14, 2025. (Photo by NWS Springfield)

    Violent tornadoes in March

    The sheer number of tornadoes is notable, but the strength of these early spring tornadoes is also remarkable. Over the last three years (2022-2024), only three EF4 tornadoes were reported in March. This past March saw three EF4 tornadoes on its own. We also saw at least 11 EF3 tornadoes, which outpaces the average for a typical March over the last three years. 

    (Photo NWS Little Rock, Arkansas)

    (Photo NWS Little Rock)

    Multi-day outbreaks 

    Severe weather outbreaks can span multiple states and multiple days, and this past March saw three separate multi-day and multi-state outbreaks.

    The outbreaks from March 4-5, 14-16 and 30-31 were responsible for most of the tornadoes this past month, and also for the strongest of the tornadoes. The March 14-16 outbreak was particularly devastating as it saw all EF4s and EF3s reported during the month.

    Tornado damage from an EF3 tornado in Poplar Bluff, Mo. on March 15, 2025. (Photo by NWS Paducah

    We’ve also had a very busy start to the month of April, with a widespread tornado outbreak the first two days of the month. Preliminary tornado reports have been scattered as National Weather Service offices that were hit hard on the 1st and 2nd deal with more severe weather. We may not have a handle on just how many tornadoes touched down across the country until later in April.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Nathan Harrington

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  • National Weather Service cuts back weather balloon launches

    The National Weather Service (NWS) announced that it is eliminating or reducing weather balloon launches across multiple offices around the country. This comes in response to NOAA layoffs and a lack of staffing necessary to continue regular launches.

    What You Need To Know

    • The National Weather Service is cutting back its weather balloon launches

    • Data from weather balloon launches helps improve model forecasts

    • Less data could harm forecast accuracy for severe, winter and tropical weather


    The NWS launches weather balloons twice daily from more than 100 upper air sites across the United States, Caribbean and Pacific Basin. These balloons reach up to 100,000 feet in the atmosphere with a radiosonde attached to each balloon.

    A radiosonde is an instrument that measures atmospheric data, including temperature, dew point, relative humidity, barometric pressure and wind speed and direction. The weather data that a radiosonde collects is just one piece of the puzzle that goes into weather models to help improve forecasts.

    A press release from the NWS confirmed that it is temporarily suspending all weather balloon launches in Omaha, Neb., and Rapid City, S.D. due to a lack of Weather Forecast Office (WFO) staffing, effective immediately.

    Along with eliminating launches from those two locations, the NWS is reducing its weather balloon launches down to one flight per day from multiple other sites, including Aberdeen, S.D., Grand Junction, Colo., Green Bay, Wis., Gaylord, Mich., North Platte, Neb. and Riverton, Wyo.

    These cuts come in addition to NWS announcements earlier this year that it was reducing weather balloon launches in Albany, N.Y. and Gray, Maine because of staff shortages.

    The NWS offices in Boulder, Colo. and Tallahassee, Fla. aren’t launching balloons because of a nationwide helium shortage, and the weather balloon facility on Morris Island in Chatham, Mass. has suspended launches because the facility has been closed due to coastal erosion.

    Bay News 9 Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay says, “these weather balloons may not seem important, but they are the basis for all the forecasts seen on apps, TV, everything from all weather sources. The more the better, we don’t need less data.”

    “It might be hard to understand, but a weather balloon launched in Montana can help us forecast where a hurricane in the Caribbean might go,” Mike Clay adds.

    It’s too soon to determine the impacts, but the reduction in launches across the Midwest and Great Plains is particularly concerning this time of year, as spring severe weather season ramps up in the coming months.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • The weather’s impact during baseball season

    The 2025 Major League Baseball season is underway, and just like any outdoor sport, the weather can have an impact.

    What You Need To Know

    • Temperatures play a key role in the movement of a baseball

    • Baseballs don’t travel as far during the colder months of the season

    • Warmer temperatures can add more distance to the flight of a baseball



    Most notably, rain and sometimes snow can lead to weather delays. But the temperature can affect the sport more than you would think.

    The air temperature has an impact on the movement of a baseball over the course of the season.

    At the start of the MLB season in late March and early April, temperatures can be in the 30s and 40s at the time of the first pitch, especially for the teams playing in the northern U.S.

    Baseballs hit during this time of the year don’t travel as far because of the cooler temperatures.

    A ball struck in early April may be a pop fly, but in May or June, the same ball could be a home run and it’s all because of colder air being denser than warm air.

    So when a batter hits a ball during colder temperatures, the baseball has to push through more air molecules which act as resistance, causing the ball to travel shorter distances compared to the warmer months.

    This is great for pitchers, but can also prevent some batters from getting into a good rhythm at the beginning of a long season.

    Heading into the middle of the season, temperatures get warmer. That typically favors the batters more compared to the colder months.

    The warmer air is less dense, so there is less resistance, allowing for baseballs to travel further, leading to more base hits and home runs.

    Whether you’re watching a game at home or attending one in person, keep in mind how the air temperature can influence the trajectory of the baseball, especially early in the season.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Ramel Carpenter

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  • Cherry blossoms have an interesting history in the nation’s capital

    Spring is here and everyone’s favorite flowering trees are painting the nation pink, as cherry blossom season continues across the country.

    What You Need To Know

    • There are many cherry tree types
    • The Yoshino Cherry tree is the most popular
    • Cherry blossoms are not native to the United States


    The vibrant blooms draw sizable crowds each spring to Washington D.C., where they are most famously recognized.

    While there are many types of cherry trees, the Yoshino Cherry Tree is the most popular and known for its white-pink blossoms and almond smell in the spring.

    (Spectrum News/Carl Brewer)

    History

    Though Yoshino Cherry Trees are well known, cherry blossoms are not native to the United States. The cherry trees were a gift from the Japanese to Americans. The cherry tree symbolizes human life and exemplifies the revolution of Japanese culture, according to the National Park Service.

    However, the first gift of cherry trees had some issues. The first group of cherry trees arrived in 1909. The trees were inspected by scientists from the Department of Agriculture. They found that the trees had an infestation of bugs and root gall. President Taft approved the destruction of the trees in January of 1910. This led to the passing of the Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 and a second shipment of trees.

    (Spectrum News/Carl Brewer)

    The second shipment of trees was much better! On March 26, 1912, over 3,000 cherry trees arrived in Washington, D.C. While 12 varieties of cherry trees were sent, the majority of the trees were of the Yoshino Cherry variety. The next day, Helen Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese Ambassador, planted two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Tidal Basin. 

    From that point, more cherry trees were planted each year. In 1935, the first “Cherry Blossom Festival” occurred, and it became an annual event in subsequent years.

    The best time to see cherry blossoms in D.C.

    Cherry blossoms are certainly being seen across Washington, D.C.

    When 70% of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open, that’s considered the peak bloom date. According to the National Park service, peak bloom could last several days. This year, the expected peak bloom will be this weekend through Monday (March 29th-31st).


    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • Eggs, shadows and daylight: Equinox fact and fiction

    Everybody knows you can balance an egg on the equinox, the day with 12 hours of light across the planet… right?

    What You Need To Know

    • You can balance eggs and brooms any day

    • Daylight is close to 12 hours, but not exactly

    • As fall begins in one hemisphere, spring begins in the other


    There are various theories surrounding the equinox, which happen every year in March and September. Let’s separate fact from fiction. 

    Balancing eggs and brooms: Fiction

    Have heard that you can balance an egg only on the equinox? 

    Try it on a day other than the equinox. You’ll find that you can do it then, too! It just takes the right egg and a bit of patience.

    The egg-balancing myth swept over to brooms, which spread wildly thanks to social media. Like eggs, you can balance a broom with stiff, straight bristles any day of the year. There’s no exceptional, mysterious gravitational pull during the equinox that will balance your egg and/or broom.

    A moment, not a day: Fact

    The equinox happens when the sun passes the “celestial equator,” the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator. It’s just a moment in time. For example, the spring equinox for 2025 is at 5:01 a.m. While we observe the equinox as the first day of spring or fall, it’s just an instant.

    12 hours of daylight worldwide: Fiction

    No, there’s not exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night around the globe on the equinox. We have more than 12 hours of daylight on the equinox. The date when daylight and nighttime are both closest to exactly 12 hours falls a few days before the spring equinox and a few days after the fall equinox.

    So, why isn’t it exactly 12 hours? There are a handful of reasons, but two stand out. First, sunrise and sunset are when the very top-most tip of the sun–not the middle–crosses the horizon. Second, our atmosphere bends sunlight, so we see the sun a little longer than we “should,” so to speak.

    “Equal night”: Fact

    It’s understandable why some think the equinox means 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The word “equinox” translates to “equal night”. It comes from the Latin word aequinoctium–“aequi” meaning equal, and “nox” meaning night–according to Mirriam-Webster.

    If you want to impress your friends (or maybe just make them roll their eyes), you can mention the equilux (“lux” coming from Latin for “light”). That’s the date when day and night are equal lengths, although a true equilux is pretty rare.

    No shadow at noon: Fiction

    For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, our shadow will be shortest on the summer solstice when direct sunlight reaches the northernmost point of its annual journey. A person’s shadow disappears only where the sun is directly overhead, which isn’t anywhere close to home on the equinox.

    Opposite seasons: Fact

    What we call the fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. It might be hard to imagine, but our friends on the other side of the planet enjoy spring from late September through late December as the Earth’s tilt gives them increasingly direct sunlight.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton, Meteorologist Justin Gehrts

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  • Spring begins at a different time every year, and this is why

    Cue the warmer temperatures, rain showers and blooming flowers–spring is almost here!

    What You Need To Know

    • Meteorological spring and astronomical spring have different meanings

    • Astronomical spring usually begins on March 20 in the United States

    • The calendar date and time for March’s equinox fluctuates

    • The amount of time Earth takes to revolve around the sun plays a role in when a season begins


    Meteorological spring always begins on March 1 and runs through May 30. It’s a three-month season which makes it helpful for analyzing data and seasonal trends.

    You’re probably more familiar with the “first day of spring” that shows up on the calendar. It’s also known as astronomical spring, March equinox, spring equinox or the vernal equinox. So, does spring always begin on the same calendar date and at the same time?

    The beginning of spring varies year to year. Spring begins on March 19, 20 or 21. Why the variation in dates? Believe it or not, it has to do with the Earth’s revolution around the sun.

    The Earth takes about 365.25 days to complete a revolution around the sun. A normal year has 365 days. That extra quarter of a day (about six hours) is part of the reason the vernal equinox fluctuates by about six hours every year.

    Fun fact: The extra quarter of a day is also why we have a leap year every four years.

    Until 2048, the March equinox will happen on March 19 every leap year. In between the leap years, the March equinox will occur on March 20.

    What about March 21? Time zones outside of the United States have had a March 21 equinox this century. However, the U.S. mainland won’t have a vernal equinox on March 21 at all in the 21st century!

    Spring 2025 runs from March 20 until June 20. Summer begins on June 20, 2025. Enjoy this transitional season before the heat and humidity move in for an extended stay!

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Britney Hamilton

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  • Total lunar eclipse will occur Thursday night for the U.S.

    A total lunar eclipse will occur for all of North America Thursday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • A total lunar eclipse will take place Thursday night into Friday morning

    • All of North America will have the chance to see it

    • The last total lunar eclipse on Earth was in 2022


    A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth orbits between the sun and the moon. As a result, the Earth casts its shadow onto the full moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, you do not need any equipment or special glasses to view the total lunar eclipse.

    Often called the Blood Moon

    During the eclipse, the Earth casts its dark shadow onto the moon. This is known as the umbra. As a result, it creates a reddish hue. That is why the total lunar eclipse is often referred to as the blood moon.

    Areas that will see the lunar eclipse

    Leah Tiscione/Sky & Telescope

    Here is a look at the timeline of the total lunar eclipse in EDT. The greatest portion of the eclipse will occur around 3 a.m.

    The question is, will the sky be clear enough to see it where you live? It looks cloudy for much of the west coast and Rockies. However, the sky will be clear for most of the Midwest with the exception for the Upper Midwest.

    Some clouds will be possible in the south and also along the northeast coast from Washington, D.C. to Boston.

    Be sure to check it out, because the next total lunar eclipse won’t occur in the United States until March 3, 2026. The best areas to view that will be in the west.

    Will skies stay clear for the total lunar eclips? Check your forecast here.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Alan Auglis

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  • Heat alerts are changing

    The National Weather Service (NWS) is simplifying and renaming its heat alerts ahead of the summer to make understanding of watches and warnings easier.

    Excessive Heat Watches will be renamed to Extreme Heat Watches.

    Excessive Heat Warnings will be renamed to Extreme Heat Warnings.

    No changes will be made to the Heat Advisory.

    NWS believes that the name change from ‘excessive’ to ‘extreme’ will improve communication and messaging that hazardous heat is dangerous. 

    This name change also aligns the terminology with Extreme Cold Watches and Warnings, which were implemented before this winter.

    These changes are already in effect, so you can expect to see them this summer.

    It’s part of the National Weather Service’s Hazard Simplification Project.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • POLL: Cancel daylight saving time or stay on it permanently?

    It’s that time of the year when we set the clocks forward one hour, changing to daylight saving time and taking away an hour of our sleep this weekend. 

    This brings up the conversation of why not just stay on daylight saving time year round? 

    Vote in Live Poll: Cancel daylight saving time or stay on it permanently?

     

    Why we change the clocks twice a year

    The United States began the concept of daylight saving time in 1918, during World War I, to save fuel. By advancing one hour ahead, coal-fired energy would assist the war effort rather than that hour at home.

    Standard time returned following the war and continued until World War II. After World War II, some states and cities kept daylight saving time, creating various time zones within regions. Frustrated with no uniform time, the public pushed Congress to pass the Uniform Time Act in 1966.

    This established that daylight saving time would begin the last Sunday in April and end the last Sunday in October.

    In 1987, it extended to include the first Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October.

    Part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the modern daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

    This current time shift began in 2007.

    Not everyone participates

    Hawaii doesn’t take part because of its location. With not much variation throughout the year between sunrise and sunset, it made little sense to switch the clocks. 

    Only the Navajo Nation in Arizona observes daylight saving time. The rest of the state exempted itself in 1968. 

    They cited the heat as their reason for opting out, adding that if they switched the clocks ahead one hour, the sun would not set until 9 p.m. in the summer, limiting nighttime activities.

    Current legislation

    The Department of Transportation oversees daylight saving time and all the country’s time zones. 

    According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), “Federal law allows a state to exempt itself from observing daylight saving time, upon action by the state legislature, but does not allow the permanent observance of DST.”

    Twenty states have enacted legislation or passed resolutions to provide for year-round daylight saving time, but await federal approval.

    Fifteen states actively have legislation as of Feb. 2025 that would end daylight saving time and stay on standard time year-round. Those states are:

    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Idaho
    • Indiana
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Nevada
    • New Jersey
    • North Dakota
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • South Dakota
    • Utah
    • Washington
    • West Virginia

    However, none of these pieces of legislation have passed and are all marked ‘pending,’ so the switch back to daylight saving time this weekend is inevitable.

    Sunshine Protection Act

    On March 15, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent, meaning Americans would no longer have to change their clocks twice a year to account for the time change. 

    While the Senate passed the bill, nearly three years later it remains stalled in the House and has not been signed into law by President Trump.

    In fact, Trump is quoted as saying the opposite. In a post he wrote on his social media in Dec. 2024, “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote.

    The future

    For now, legislation to observe daylight saving time year-round remains pending.

    Other states will continue to perform case studies and collect data to see if this shift is beneficial in saving energy, helping improve health and reducing crime.

    And so we will advance our clocks forward one hour this Sunday and then on Nov. 2, 2025, we will change the clocks back one hour, returning to standard time.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

     

    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • The origin of the saying ‘in like a lion, out like a lamb’

    The saying “March in like a lion, out like a lamb” is popular folklore, but is there any truth to this? And where did this saying come from?

    What You Need To Know

    • The first known reference to the saying is in 1732

    • There are possible links to astronomy

    • March is typically more active at the beginning of the month


    While the origins of this proverb aren’t quite clear, there is a reference to it in a 1732 volume of proverbs by English author Thomas Fuller. After that, it was in farmer’s almanacs.

    Some think it has links to astronomy with the locations of the constellations Leo (lion) and Aries (ram or lamb). At the start of the month, Leo is on the eastern horizon at sunset and at the end of the month, Aries is on the western horizon at sunset.

    Month of March meteorologically

    March itself is a transitional month, going from winter to spring. 

    It’s not uncommon for the beginning of the month to feature big storm systems, including snow and even severe weather. By the end of the month, milder weather spreads over much of the country.

    However, this is not always the case and can vary.

    The saying talks about balance. If the month comes in active, like a lion, it should go out docile, like a lamb. Or, if it comes in docile, it should go out active. Yet, meteorologically speaking, that doesn’t always happen.

    Other popular folklore masquerading as long-range weather forecasting includes the woolly bear caterpillars and their prediction of winter. 

    While most folklore is just that–lore–some hold water for short-term forecasting. 

    For example, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning,” is a useful rule of thumb. 

    Other March folklore

    According to the Farmer’s Almanac, here are some other March-related sayings:

    • “A dry March and a wet May; fill barns and bays with corn and hay.”
    • “As it rains in March, so it rains in June.”
    • “March winds and April showers, bring forth May flowers.”
    • “So many mists in March you see, so many frosts in May will be.”

    Will your early March forecast be lion or lamb like? Click here for your local weather.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Stacy Lynn

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  • Meteorological spring vs astronomical spring: What is the difference?

    As March rolls around every year, so does meteorological spring. Jump ahead a few weeks and suddenly astronomical spring begins.  

    What You Need To Know

    • Meteorological seasons are different from astronomical seasons

    • This is done for more consistency and record-keeping

    • Meteorological seasons are counted by full months


    So, what is the difference? Simply put, astronomical spring relates to the position of the earth in relation to the sun, while meteorological spring relates to the warming temperatures from March through May. For meteorologists and climatologists, spring begins March 1. Below, we will define why that is and how it may be more accurate to represent the seasons.  

    Astronomical spring

    People have observed seasonal changes around them (temperatures, color of leaves, animal migrations, etc.) for thousands of years. The natural rotation of the earth around the sun each year forms the basis of the astronomical calendar.  

    Seasons are defined by Earth’s tilt and the sun’s alignment over the equator. During the vernal equinox, the Earth passes directly over the equator. After the equinox, the northern hemisphere will see more daylight than darkness until the summer solstice.  

    Because earth’s travel around the sun takes 365.24 days, an extra day is needed every fourth year, called a Leap Year. This extra day causes the exact day of the equinoxes and solstices to vary. In addition, the elliptical orbit of the earth results in different lengths of astronomical seasons.  

    These changes make it difficult to achieve consistent data collection and compare seasons from one year to the next. Because of this, meteorological seasons came to be.

    Meteorological spring

    Meteorological seasons are split into three-month groups based on the annual temperature cycle and the calendar. Winter includes the coldest months of the year and summer has the warmest months.  

    Both spring and fall are transitional, where temperatures are rising (spring) or falling (fall). Meteorological observing and forecasting led to the creation of these seasons, and they are more tied to the monthly calendar we all use today than the astronomical seasons.  

    The consistency of the three-month seasons allows meteorologists and climatologists to more easily calculate seasonal statistics. This, along with monthly statistics, is very helpful for agriculture and commerce throughout the year.  

    Overall, meteorological seasons provide a simple, more common-sense way to describe temperature changes over the course of the year.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Ian Cassette

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  • History-making meteorologist: The story of Charles E. Anderson

    Charles E. Anderson paved the way for diversity in atmospheric sciences, starting with being a weather officer for the Tuskegee Airmen. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Charles E. Anderson was the first African American to earn a PhD in meteorology

    • Anderson served as the weather officer at several Army Air Force bases

    • He worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and North Carolina State University for decades

    One of Anderson’s most notable and recognized accomplishments in his lifetime was being the first African American to earn a PhD in meteorology. 

    This was no easy feat, and in doing so, opened a door for a more inclusive and diverse world of meteorology.

    Anderson’s background

    His background to getting his PhD in meteorology is quite interesting. 

    In 1941, Anderson earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Lincoln University.

    Shortly after, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps where he was sent to study meteorology at the University of Chicago. It was there where he earned his master’s degree in meteorology in 1943.

    While serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Anderson was stationed as a weather officer in Tuskegee, Ala. Some of you may know of the Tuskegee Airmen that Anderson was a part of.

    He spent some time after as a squadron weather officer, training other fighter pilots.

    Listen to him share his experiences in the Air Corps:

    In 1960, Anderson received his PhD in meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    After receiving his PhD, Anderson served as the Director of the Office of Federal Coordination in Meteorology in Environmental Science Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    Finally in 1966, Anderson was hired as a Professor of Meteorology at the University of Wisconsin. Although he started in this position, Anderson wore many hats during his time in Madison.

    From becoming the Professor of Afro-American Studies and Chairman of the Meteorology Department to being promoted to Associative Dean in 1978, he spent over two decades teaching young Wisconsinites the importance, science, and mechanics of meteorology. 

    Anderson finished his career at North Carolina State University as a professor in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, retiring in 1990.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Brooke Brighton

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  • Atmospheric rivers are becoming more common

     Atmospheric rivers can bring days of rain to California and the western U.S., leading to widespread flooding and even landslides.

    What You Need To Know

    • These large channels of water can be over 300 miles wide and 1,000 miles long

    • They can cause major beach erosion along the west coast of the U.S.

    • They can produce over 100 inches of snowfall in less than a week



    Atmospheric rivers are becoming more common over recent years for the western U.S.

    What are atmospheric rivers?

    (NOAA)

    An atmospheric river is a large plume of moisture that is transported by tropical winds. These large channels of water can get over 300 miles wide and can stretch to over 1,000 miles long. They can occur all over the world at any time of the year but are more common from December through February.

    Impacts

    A view of the hillside from the beach after a San Clemente house collapsed because of landslides after heavy rain. (Spectrum News/Rae Williams)

    In southern California, the atmospheric river events can be beneficial by providing a majority of their yearly rainfall but they can also be quite hazardous with the risk of flooding and landslides.

    Earlier this month, San Francisco recorded nearly 3 inches of rain in a single day breaking an old record set back in 1887.

    Similar to hurricanes, these events are rated on a scale 1 to 5 to measure their intensity, which has allowed for better planning by local agencies over the last few years according to the Northwest Climate Hub.

    Atmospheric river events in the western U.S. are mostly known for bringing rain, but they’re also responsible for heavy snowfall from the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest.

    Previous events in 2024 brought 6 to 8 feet of snowfall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. That amount of snowfall typically contributes to drought relief in the area, which is dry for a good portion of the year.

    Climate change

    Unfortunately, with a warming climate, atmospheric rivers will become stronger and more common in the U.S. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, which will allow for these storms to become larger and stronger in the years to come.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Ramel Carpenter

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  • The snowiest day in every state

    Snow can happen anywhere in the U.S., even in the south. But extreme snow that gets measured in feet? Those types of totals aren’t so common. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Alaska and Colorado have the snowiest 24-hour periods on record


    • The March 1993 “Storm of the Century” holds three states’ record snowfall


    • January may not see record snowfall very often, but holds the most record low temperature days


    Snowiest on record

    Alaska is not only home to the lowest temperature ever recorded in the U.S., but also holds the 24-hour snowfall record. On Feb. 9. 1963, a whopping 78 inches of snow fell at Mile 47 Camp in southern Alaska. That probably doesn’t come as a surprise.

    The only other states that have surpassed 60 inches of snowfall in a 24-hour span are Colorado, California and Washington. What do all those records have in common? They all occurred in the mountains at higher elevations of at least 7,000 feet. 

    Elsewhere, the Northeast and the Western U.S. are the only regions that have experienced 40 inches or more of snowfall in 24 hours.

    Florida and Hawaii round out the bottom of the list as the only two states that have never seen a foot of snow. Florida just recently broke its snowfall record, more than doubling the previous record with 9.8 inches in Milton.

    Hawaii’s 24-hour snowfall record is 6.5 inches in 1936, more than 23 years before it even became a U.S. state. 

    Extreme snow does not directly correlate with extreme cold

    When you look at every state’s record low temperature, half of them are in January. You might think that January would also hold the most 24-hour snowfall records, but that isn’t the case.

    Only six 24-hour snowfall records have happened in January, coming in behind February, December and March. 

    So, why do more big snows happen when it’s not as cold outside? There are a few reasons, but the main one is moisture.

    While January may be the coldest month with more frequent snowfall since temperatures are more likely to be below freezing, colder air can’t hold as much moisture as warm air.

    Later in winter and early in spring, temperatures are warmer than in the middle of winter. With warmer temperatures there are fewer snow storms, but when it happens temperatures are likely to be close to freezing, meaning the air can hold more moisture than bitter cold air, producing more snow under the right conditions.

    We can take older records with a grain of salt… or a flake of snow

    This part is where it gets a little tricky. While a lot of things in the weather world have remained constant for decades, snowfall measurement is not one of them.

    Not only have snowfall measuring techniques changed over the years, but we have to rely on people to measure snowfall, not automated devices, which can lead to inconsistencies.

    Nowadays, we measure snowfall on snow boards, and we take measurements every six hours. That practice became the standard in the 1950s, but later at some observation sites.

    Before that, early observers only took measurements every 12 or 24 hours, sometimes on the ground without a snow board. Another method was measuring the liquid after the snow melted, then applying a 10:1 snowfall ratio, which is no longer done anywhere. 

    Here is how you can measure snow at home. 

    Even though some of the older reports may have used different methods, NOAA’s State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) has reviewed and accepted all the records.

    What are some of the notable records? Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee’s 24-hour snowfall records were all set during the 1993 “Storm of the Century.”

    That powerful cyclone not only led to those snowfall records, but produced extreme cold, high winds, deadly tornadoes and devastating storm surge that brought impacts from Canada to Honduras.

    Our team of meteorologists dive deep into the science of weather and break down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Meteorologist Reid Lybarger

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  • History of Inauguration Day weather

    Inauguration Day 2025 is shaping up to be a cold one in our nation’s capital. However, more notable weather has occurred, as we swear in our nation’s leaders.

    What You Need To Know

    • Inauguration Day used to be in March

    • Only a handful have seen temps below freezing

    • Rain is historically more common than winter weather



    While the presidential inauguration dates back to 1789, official weather records for Washington, D.C. go as far back as Ulysses S. Grant’s second inauguration in 1873. That still gives us weather information for 38 inaugurations.

    Weather history

    The inauguration also used to happen on March 4, but changed to January 20 in 1937, with the second inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

    Snow isn’t usually a big concern, for the most part. Six inaugurations had measurable snow, and the last one was in 2001. Measurable precipitation in general – snow or rain – has happened on 15 of the 38 inaugurations since 1873. Just a trace of rain was measured on Inauguration Day for Joe Biden in 2021.

    Five inaugurals had a high of 32 degrees or colder, while 10 had a high of 50 degrees or warmer. It’s worth noting that four of those mild ones happened since the inauguration date changed to January 20.

    Since weather is an important part of daily life, there are unofficial weather records for earlier inaugurations, as compiled by the National Weather Service toward the bottom of this page.

    Inauguration weather records

     

    Noteworthy inauguration weather

    One of the earliest and most tragic instances of inaugural weather is the swearing in of William Henry Harrison. It was a cold and blustery day, with the new president giving a 100 minute address, and riding a horse without a hat or overcoat. While history can’t confirm the cause, this may have contributed to the shortest presidency on record.

    In a story just as tragic, President Franklin Pierce was also sworn in on a wintry day, with continual snow for most of the day. It came down so heavily that the crowd gathered for the festivities dispersed. Abigail Fillmore, first lady to the outgoing president Millard Fillmore, caught a cold because of the weather. This developed into pneumonia and she died at the end of March.

    John F. Kennedy’s inauguration day in 1961 was a cold one, but that wasn’t the only issue. A snowstorm blanketed the nation’s capital with eight inches of snow the day before through the morning of.

    The snowy weather for William Howard Taft’s inauguration in 1909 forced the event to be moved to the Senate chambers of the U.S. Capitol, rather than the usual spot on the East Portico.

    Taft and Roosevelt make their way to the Capitol through the snowy streets of Washington, D.C. in 1909. (Library of Congress)

    Taft and Roosevelt make their way to the Capitol through the snowy streets of Washington, D.C. in 1909. (Library of Congress)

    It wasn’t snow, but a washout that put a damper on FDR’s second inauguration. Sleet and freezing rain was recorded in the morning, switching to all rain in the afternoon. The president rode in an open car with a half-inch of water on the floorboards. During the inaugural parade, the rain continued, contributing to the wettest inauguration on record. 

    This year’s forecast

    While a historic weather day isn’t in the cards for this year, colder-than-average temperatures are expected with the possibility of some light snow in the pre-dawn hours of Monday. Temperatures will only be in the 20s during the afternoon.


    President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office from inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday due to forecasts of intense cold weather.

    Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.

    Spectrum News Weather Staff

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