National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heavy Lake Effect Snow; Subfreezing Temperatures in the Eastern U.S.

A multi-day heavy lake effect snow event is expected downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario through New Year's Day. The Arctic front will continue to bring increasing winds to the Northeast that will remain gusty. Subfreezing overnight low temperatures will be found as far south as the Gulf Coast. Read More >

The Vernal Equinox occurred early yesterday morning (Monday, March 20, 2017) at 5:28 AM CDT. This was the start of the astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere, as the sun's rays were directly overhead on the equator. Interesting tidbit: the word "equinox" is derived from two Latin words - aequus (meaning "equal") and nox (meaning "night").

On the two equinoxes (fall and spring), the length of day and night are nearly equal. The nearly equal hours of day and night are due to refraction of sunlight or a bending of the light's rays that causes the sun to appear above the horizon when the actual position of the sun is below the horizon. The days will continue to slowly get longer over the next couple of months, as the direct rays of the sun move slowly northward.


Schultz

NWS Duluth, MN