Spring is not here! It is the snow, cold, and the weather that does not reflect the Spring Thing, most of us would like. I talked to my neighbor yesterday and he said the sun is so welcome that he was ready to strip naked and lay out in the hot sun! The temp was a high of 37 degrees! Now that’s a tough Montanan.
Spring is relative. If you come to Montana from a warmer climate, then Spring sucks. If you come to Montana to ski, then Spring Rocks! Winter enthusiasts LOVE the long Winters of Montana! The Ice Fishing is great.
What I love about Montana is the lack of a HOT and HUMID Summer! Spring is only a “season” in Montana, according to the calendar. We do not have Spring flower and garden season. Flowers don’t poke out until late May. Planting trees, shrubs, gardens, and landscape earlier risks having them become frosted. Growing season, without a frost, begins the second week of June. The truth is that it may snow at any time in the Big Sky Country.
Generally, Winter lasts from deer rifle season, at the end of October, until Memorial Day. Spring might be happening but last season we ice fished until May. Skiers, snowmobilers, and Orthopedic surgeons are having orgasms over Winter Sports. For those of us that don’t ski and play in the snow, Winters are just cold and long.
When you live high on the Earths top, we just get less sunlight. The sun has been on an 11-year cycle when solar flares tend to be more frequent and violent. This makes Montana weather more unpredictable and inconsistent. The shortest day of sunshine happens in late December. The longest day of sunlight isn’t until late June.
Even though we have a “Summer” it is really more of a late Spring. Nights are generally cool. Humidity is low and we might need air conditioning for a few weeks in late July.
Montana only has 3 seasons. A long WINTER, Spring, and Fall. There is not a true Summer. This is one reason why so many people that move to Montana leave. Oh well!
Spring is technically not here but we can dream.
Stay warm!
Montana Grant
