2009 Spring Outlook Released; Happy Spring To You

Real quick...clarification about the new poll. By 24-hour precip, I mean your normal observation window for CoCoRaHS. (i.e. 7am-7am)

NOAA released their official spring outlook and it is calling for a potentially record setting flood on the Red River, between North Dakota and Minnesota.

In fact, they are saying this year could rank in the top 5 of all Red River flood events. Flooding is expected to start next week.

Drought conditions are expected to improve in many parts of the country, but may worsen across Florida.

The article says that Texas just had their driest winter on record, or since 1895.

Here is a link so you can read the complete outlook.

And today marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere! It officially began at 7:44 am eastern time.

I noticed yesterday while out watering the lawn that my trees are getting very small little buds, and there is a tinge of green in the grass.

In downtown Denver, where it is warmer due to the urban heat island effect, some trees have full buds and probably aren't too long from leafing out.

Very early for us -- this long stretch of weather in the 60s and 70s has the trees fooled I think.

We typically see this more in April, with some trees not fully leafing out until May some years along the Front Range of the Rockies.