The Vernal Equinox will occur on March 20 at 1:48 a.m. EDT.  According to my STAR TRAK newsletter from Indiana University, this will be the earliest that the March equinox has happened since 1896. The equinox marks the beginning of spring.

The average high temperature by the end of March will be 57 degrees with an average low temperature of 37 degrees. 

 During the evening news yesterday,  Todd Wallace was joking about how badly his car needed to be washed. I commented the deer were even licking the salt off his car.

After reading the following article,  I realize that is not a crazy idea.

The following is an article from the Bismarck Tribune:

 http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/12/01/news/state/143670.txt

THOMPSON FALLS, Mont. (AP) - At least 25 bighorn sheep lapping up salt-based deicer on Montana 200 have been struck and killed by vehicles this year, including seven struck by one semi east of here earlier this month.

In an effort to reduce sheep deaths, which have topped 350 since Sterling began keeping records in 1985, FWP has tried putting salt blocks out away from the highway, with little success.

“Salt is a natural mineral the sheep routinely seek out,” Sterling says, “and finding it on the road has become a learned behavior over the course of many years. It’s difficult to put salt blocks out and expect them to find it.”

They’ve fired cracker shells near the herd, and the loud explosion works - for about a half hour.

Then they’re back, licking up the de-icer again.

“Our saving grace is that the sheep aren’t active at night,” Sterling says. “They go up into the cliffs to bed down at night. If they were down on the road at night, I don’t know if we’d have any left.”

 It’s not only cold here, but in Florida also.

While our temperatures will drop into the lower teens tonight, Northern Florida temperatures will drop just below freezing. A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect all the way to Miami. Wind Chill Advisories in Florida are issued if the wind chill temperature drops below 35 degrees.

Now, let’s talk about the pattern change. The jet stream that sags to the Gulf Coast now, will lift north into the Great Lakes by the weekend. As a result, above average temperatures will return to Indiana by late weekend. Highs might break 50 degrees Sunday and Monday!

 The quick answer to the question is northern Indiana. Here are a few snowfall reports:

Warsaw:  9.0″

Kendallville:  8.0″

Columbia City: 8.0″

Ft. Wayne:  6.0″

Rensselaer:  5.0″

Huntington:  4.3″

Rain dominated here in central Indiana.  Very little of the precipitation was in the form of snow. Surface temperatures remained just above freezing. Here are some snowfall amounts reported by our weather watchers:

Rensselaer: 5.0″

Kokomo: 3.0″

Monticello: 2.5″

Logansport: 2.0″

   Rain, sleet and snow have been the rule through Monday night.

Colder air will take the variety out of our weather Tuesday. Colder air will sweep into the state during the morning hours and change a mix of precipitation to all snow.

Accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are possible in Central Indiana. Northern portions of the state may seem more. We will all see strong winds during the day. Winds will gust over 30 mph. The combination of falling snow and rising winds will lower visibilities.

Good Morning Indiana starts at 5 am. Dan, Grace, Paul and Tom will have the latest on road conditions, closings/delays and the forecast.