In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Lion
Have you heard this phrase before? My parents and grandparents used this old adage many times, referring to the month of March.
Just days away as I write this, I'm reminded that March is a month of transition. Growing up in the Midwest, the change of seasons from Winter to Spring tended to follow a pattern. The first part of the month was often mild. Sunshine was plentiful as temperatures gradually warmed. Trees would begin to put on buds and early blooms would start to show. In like a Lamb.
The latter half of the month would typically bring a roller coaster of conditions. Rain, wind, and sometimes another freeze would come with ice and snow, followed by a 70° day. The closer it got to April, the more volatile the weather would become, often producing severe storms and tornadoes. Out like a Lion.
I'll never forget one of the craziest weather days I've ever experienced that showcased all these conditions in a single day. It was mid-March in Franklin, Tennessee, 2014. Sunshine and 60° quickly turned to dark skies and rain. Fog rolled in and temperatures plummeted to the mid-30s, changing the rain over to snow that blanketed the area in about 3 inches of the wet stuff. Thunder and lightning filled the sky as sleet, and even hail, came down. By 5 o'clock that afternoon the snow was melted and we were back to sunny skies and mid-50s like it never happened!
2023 is my first time experiencing how Arizona handles this transition. If February is any indicator, then it will be consistent with my Midwest experience. There's been sunshine and 70s, clouds and 30s, wind, rain, and even some snow in the higher elevations. Apparently, the March Lambs and Lions roam the desert southwest too!
We'll see what March blows in ... or away!
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