Meteorological spring ends quietly and pleasantly
Today’s bright sunshine, low humidity, reasonable wind speeds and moderate temperatures define a perfect day, and they come on the final day of the season that meteorologists and climatologists refer to as “meteorological spring”—March, April and May.
May has been on the cool side locally and across much of the central and eastern United States, and in Chicago fully two-thirds of its days registered below-normal temperatures.
Tomorrow, of course, marks the beginning of meteorological summer, so chosen because at most locations in the Northern Hemisphere it consists of the year’s three warmest months: June, July and August.
Appropriately enough, the advent of summer this year coincides with the onset of a warming trend that will ultimately deliver the season’s highest temperatures to date. It won’t be a heat wave by any means, but readings in the middle and upper 80s this weekend will be summery.