Air Conditioning in March in Minnesota?

     Something is wrong with this picture.  I know you don’t see a picture, it’s just a saying.  It was 78 degrees on the Gunflint Trail on March 17, 2012.  That has to be a record.  The sun was crazy hot yesterday and that in addition to baking banana bread for an hour in the oven had our sleeping loft cooking.  I kidded Mike when he went up to bed about not putting the window air conditioning on because we couldn’t do that in March.  When I went up there later we put the air conditioning on.  It felt like a hot July day and there was no way I would have been able to fall asleep without it. 

     The snow has melted with the exception of a few piles around our yard and the river ice is black.  Josh went out ice fishing with a friend yesterday and while there was 2 feet of ice in the morning my guess is there wasn’t a foot left by the end of the day.  Once the ice gets black the sun just eats away at it quickly.  I’m guessing our river might open up this month yet if this warm weather continues.

     I know elsewhere the temperatures have been unseasonably warm too.  While this might be good for us sun lovers it isn’t good for the parched land.  Many areas in Minnesota are experiencing drought and one spark that gets out of a burn pile could cause a major fire. 

     There is still snow on some parts of the Superior National Forest but it won’t be long and it will all be gone.  We’re hoping we’ll get more snow and lots of rain this spring to quench the dry earth.  If not, then they’ll be early fire bans at least until the trees green up. 

     I’m thinking we’ll be picking blueberries in May if this keeps up.  But these unseasonably warm temperatures can’t keep up can they?