We will “spring ahead” on Sunday as we now change the time to Summer Time on the 2nd Sunday of March and back to Winter Time on the 1st Sunday in November. So that now we are on Summer Time longer than Winter Time.
Daylight Saving Time is the practice of setting the clocks forward one hour from standard time during the summer months, and back again in the fall, in order to make better use of natural daylight. “Spring forward, fall back” is one of the little sayings used to remember which way to set your watch.
Proposals to stay on standard time or move to full-time DST appear on the legislative agenda in the United States nearly every clock change. Since 2015, more than 200 daylight saving bills and resolutions have been introduced in almost every state across the US, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Several US states have passed bills in favor of permanent DST. However, they need congressional approval to abolish the time change. For this to happen, Congress first must pass a federal law allowing states to observe DST year-round, because today’s law only allows states to forgo DST.
Of the two times I would rather have DST or what I call summer time all year long. I know one of the reasons some do not want to use it all year long is the claim that it would be dark in the morning for kids to go to school well then why not just start school a hour later than? So my vote is for DST all year long.
After the first 7 days March 2024 is the 2nd warmest start to any March at Grand Rapids. The mean after 7 days in 47.2 that is 2nd only to 1983 that year the 1st 7 days had a mean of 51.4. The highest so far this March is 70 in 1983 it reached 72 on March 3rd The winter of 1983 had a very strong El Nino that flipped to a weak La Nina that fall. In 1983 April, May and June were all cooler than average with April being -5.0 below average and May being -6.5 below average.
The official H/L yesterday was 51/38 there was 0.97” of rainfall there was no sunshine. For today the average H/L is 42/25 the record high of 68 was set in 2000 the record low of -7 was set in 1996. The wettest 1.35” and most snowfall 8.2” was set in 1998. The most on the ground was 16” in 2014. Last year the H/L was 42/30 and there was 3.0” of snowfall.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND RAPIDS MI
352 AM EST SAT MAR 9 2024
KEY MESSAGES
– RAIN ENDING THIS MORNING
– SHOW SHOWERS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING
– DRY TO START THE WORK WEEK
– RAIN CHANCES MUCH OF THE MID TO LATE WORK WEEK TIME FRAME
DISCUSSION
ISSUED AT 350 AM EST SAT MAR 9 2024
– RAIN ENDING THIS MORNING
RAIN CONTINUES TO TAPER OFF THIS MORNING AS THE CENTER OF THE LOW
TRACKS NORTHEAST AND THE DRY SLOT NOSES INTO SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. LOW
CLOUDS LINGER AND DRIZZLE PERSISTS, BUT A SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL
SWEEP THROUGH THIS MORNING SETTING UP COLDER AND DRIER NORTHWEST
FLOW. WHILE MOST OF THE AREA IS TURNING DRY, COLD AIR WILL FUNNEL IN
ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SYSTEM WITH WRAP AROUND MOISTURE RESULTING IN
SOME SNOW POSSIBLY MIXING IN WITH RAIN EARLY THIS MORNING FOR MASON
AND OCEANA COUNTIES. TEMPERATURES WILL BE ABOVE FREEZING SO
IMPACTS ARE NOT EXPECTED.
– SNOW SHOWERS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING
COLD AIR ADVECTION STRENGTHENS LATER TODAY AS A DEEPENING MID TO
UPPER TROUGH DIGS INTO THE GREAT LAKES. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL
THROUGH THE 30S THIS AFTERNOON AND DOWN TO BELOW FREEZING OVERNIGHT
TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY. COLDER AIR OVER THE LAKE WILL INCREASE
INSTABILITY INITIATING SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS FOR LAKESHORE
COUNTIES, BUT LIMITED MOISTURE IN THE LOW LEVELS SHOULD KEEP
SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FAIRLY TAME. HIGHEST AMOUNTS NEAR THE LAKESHORE OF
1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN MASON AND OCEANA COUNTIES, WHILE
OTHER AREAS FURTHER SOUTH AND WEST OF US-131 SHOULD STAY TO LESS
THAN 1 INCH. TO THE NORTH AND EAST, BETTER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
SUPPORTS LAKE EFFECT SNOW DOWNWIND OF LAKE SUPERIOR AND LAKE HURON
IN NORTHERN LOWER AND THE THUMB REGION, BUT SNOW SHOWERS MAY
STRETCH INTO EASTERN GRATIOT, CLINTON, AND INGHAM COUNTIES. SNOW
WILL TAPER OFF NEAR MID-DAY SUNDAY.
– DRY TO START THE WORK WEEK
RIDGING BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL BE IN PLACE OVER THE
GREAT LAKES DURING THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY TIME FRAME. GFS RELATIVE
HUMIDITY BUFKIT OVERVIEWS SHOW VERY DRY AIR IN PLACE FROM SUNDAY
NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. -10C TO -11C AIR AT 850MB’S THIS WEEKEND IS
RAPIDLY REPLACED BY WARMER AIR ON SOUTHWEST WINDS. ON TUESDAY 850MB
TEMPS RISE TO +6C TO +8C. AFTER HIGHS THIS WEEKEND IN THE 30S A
MODERATING TREND OCCURS INTO THE WORK WEEK. HIGHS MONDAY WILL BE IN
THE 50S WITH 60S FORECAST ON TUESDAY. THE NORMAL HIGHS FOR TODAY IN
GRAND RAPIDS ARE 42F. SO, BY TUESDAY WE WILL BE 20 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL.
– RAIN CHANCES MUCH OF THE MID TO LATE WORK WEEK TIME FRAME
RAIN CHANCES ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE MID TO LATE WORK WEEK TIME
FRAME. THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK UPPER
WAVE IN ZONAL FLOW MID WEEK AND WITH A POSITIVE TILT TROUGH LATER IN
THE WEEK. AT THE SURFACE A FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA TUESDAY
NIGHT, STALLING BEFORE BECOMING A WARM FRONT BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE
ECMWF AND GFS HAVE DIFFERING SOLUTIONS ON THE DEPTH OF A SURFACE LOW
THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LATE WEEK UPPER TROUGH. THE GFS IS A BIT
STRONGER WITH MORE PRECIPITATION. BOTTOM LINE WE WILL HAVE CHANCES
FOR RAIN FROM TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THE BULK OF THE CHANCES
WILL BE IN THE 30-50 PERCENT RANGE.
Fresh snow on the ground and it looks fantastic!wow!
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!
Maybe Winter arrives for April and May…
Nope….
As for the time change. Here is some information as to where that now stands.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/latest-updates-daylight-saving-time-legislation-change
Slim
A lot of interesting information, but my God, what a bunch of BS! Keep the dam time the same all year!!!!!!!!!!!
I never understood why it’s done Sunday and not like Friday night. Geesh get a day to get used to it. Although, it’s like why is super bowl on Sunday and not Saturday… lol.
Keep the time the same and stop subjecting
millions of people to this insanity 2 times every year!!!!!!
The temperature is now down to 37 here. While it can still change there are now hints that it could turn colder towards the end of the month and yes there still could be snow at that time. Don’t put the winter coats away just yet and we could still have a cold spring.
Slim
As I have said in the past, the time change is one of the dumbest things we are forced to do year after year after year! Enough already! It is unhealthy, inconvenient and stupid, other than that I am sure it is a great idea? I don’t care which time they choose to keep, but stop changing the clocks 2 times per year. Just pick a time and be done with this madness! Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!!!!
I agree. I think that the time should remain the same all year long.
Rock on Mark and again I don’t care which way they go as long as the ridiculous ritual of changing the time is Eliminated!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, one of the few things I actually agree with Rocky on! Get rid of daylight savings time!
We hear this every year … Oh let’s keep it one time and nothing is ever done! Kudos to the few states that have done something and don’t change their clocks!
At the current time (LOL) only 2 states do not change the time.
Slim
Rock on Andy!
Yes sir!
Wind chills in the 20’s all weekend! Cold, cold, cold! WOW!!!!