With it as well comes snow in the Chicago area. Flurries fell early Thursday, but by the afternoon, there were mostly sunny skies temperatures climbed closer to 50 degrees. It could be even milder Friday, when we could hit the 60s for the first time since November 17th.
The equinox is when the sun is directly above the Earth's equator and the day and night are of equal length. It occurs twice a year. This year the spring equinox falls on March 20, and the fall equinox falls on September 23, the first day of fall.
At US Cellular Field, the permafrost is 30 inches thick, so crews are heating the field piece by piece. Opening Day is March 31.
"I'm really comfortable that we're not only going to be able to open on Opening Day but have the workout the day before," said Roger Bossard, White Sox groundskeeper.
Because of the weather, Cook County's ten golf courses expect to open April 1, a month behind schedule. Chicago Park District courses face the same challenge. Local bike stores, like Kozy's, are bracing for an onslaught of customers once the weather heats up.
"We anticipate being busy. We anticipate people who want to come out and want to buy a bike now, not yesterday," said Luis Iniguez, Kozy's cyclery.
Winter's upside: potential beauty, since the snow has worked as a warm blanket for underground bugs.
"Those insects may have a very good year, a lot of butterflies fit into that category," said Doug Taron, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
