Today, musings on that first warm day of the year (upper 60s, in this case), the one that reminds you that, in the Southeast at least, winter will end long before the calendar says so. A few key links related to the coming longer, warmer days. Note: Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 14, at 2 a.m.: don't forget to spring forward.
Sunrise/Sunset times. Enter your location and the date and sunrise-sunset.org will tell you not only the official sunrise and sunset times for a given day, but the amount of twilight on both ends as well.
Spring wildflower ID. Like to know what you're looking at as spring unfolds? The piedmont-centric A Virtual Wildflower Garden Across Time identifies spring wildflowers both by color of petals and when they typically emerge, making it easier to tell your asters (which bloom as early as January) from your fleabanes.
Park closing times. Longer daylight means longer hours at your local parks. Many North Carolina State Parks, for instance, begin staying open until 8 p.m. in March (and as late as 10 p.m. as summer nears). Check local state park hours at the links below:
National Forests. Roads and campgrounds in national forests will begin reopening. You can check the latest status of your favorite area below.
National Parks. Check on what's reopening when by clicking on the link for a given state, then clicking on the NPS unit of your interest.