Blue skies during a beautiful mild day contrast Downtown Rochester March 6th 2012

Today was a stunningly beautiful day across the local area, featuring crystal clear skies with highs at every station well into the 60s, not a record breaker, but at least 25 to 30 degrees above normal! The cause of the warmth is a well above normal air mass that has enveloped most of the Upper Midwest from a warm front which past through Southern Minnesota last night. The wind was a bit stiff out of the Southwest gusting to 30MPH at times but it was a warm wind for sure. The warm temperatures brought many outdoors in shorts and short sleeves as it felt very spring like feeling more like April then March, I was able to take a walk today without a coat, and I have not been able to say that very often so early in March. I did see my first bees today buzzing around during class which took place outdoors today!

Yellow snow crocus open up wide on a warm sunny March day March 6th 2012

The spring bulbs progressed much faster today and got a good head start in the warmth that allowed them to. Daffodils and Hyacinths are showing flower buds and Tulips are getting 1st leaves and turning red.  The yellow Snow Crocus are approaching full bloom and the Dutch crocus I planted which are in colors of purple and white should be showing soon as its normal for them to bloom about a week after Snow Crocus. All these spring bulbs certainly extremely early. It is unheard of to me and are by far the earliest I’ve seen blooming Crocus, in all my years of gardening I cannot recall even 1 time when Crocus bloomed before my March 8th birthday, but my new southerly latitude much be taken into account, but even locals agree its about 3 weeks early.

Highs reported.

All stations were above 60.F The warmest official temperature was Preston at 64.F The warmest temperature over was in inner city Rochester with a high of 65.F