March 1 might be meteorological Spring in the northern hemisphere, but in Maine true Spring doesn’t come until April. And it isn’t until May that Spring, in a froth of blossoms, really kicks up her heels.
Unfortunately, March in Maine begins in snow and ends in mud. March always feels like a kind of purgatory, an in-between time that seems to last more than its thirty-one days.
However, there are some bright spots in this miserable month. One of them is the return of Snow-Gauge Clif, who, with his trusty yardstick—or snow gauge as readers have dubbed it—makes his appearance the first Monday of March. Then each Monday, until the snow has gone away, Clif is out in the yard, measuring the ebbing snow. (When you live in Maine, north of north, such activities are wicked exciting as we Mainers would say.)
So drum roll, please! Here is Snow-Gauge Clif’s first 2022 appearance.
In the front yard the snow depth is 14 inches.
In the backyard, where the snow depth is also 14 inches. As you can see, Clif takes this noble job very seriously.
How long will it take for the snow to leave our yard? We always hope it will be gone by April 22, our youngest daughter’s birthday as well as Earth Day. But we shall see.
Let the melting begin!
Notes From the Hinterland 
I love your stories about snow! We rarely get any here and when it comes it harsly ever sticks.
Thanks so much! I, too, enjoy reading about how it is in other parts of the world. One of the joys of blogging.
The snow looks tough to navigate and very cold but still beautiful. Awesome stuff, thanks for sharing. Lovely photos.
My pleasure! Thanks for stopping by.
Lovely to see Clif! I would happily send you some of our heat, It is half past eight in the evening and the temperature has only dropped to 19 degrees C: another night with just a sheet between me and the mosquitoes 🙂 🙂
Holy cats, that’s hot. Hope the heat soon breaks.
Oi! Mud season!
It is coming!
Was it a mild day? I recall being more bundled up than Clif around then. But I feel the cold more than most.
Yes, a mild day.
Clif has a future as a model for magazine ads!
I’m not sure if I should tell Clif about this comment. Might go to his head. 😉
Who needs robins? We’ve got Snow-Gauge Clif! 🙂
Indeed we do! 😉
I used to swim on my birthday, April 16, when I was a kid growing up on a lake. Most years anyway. If it was cold, rainy or snowing I didn’t go, but if it was a nice day, I get in, gasp at the cold, maybe swim around a tiny bit and get the heck out! 🙂 I hope your snow is gone by mid-April too!
That is an early swim! Fingers crossed about the snow.
So lovely to see the return of Snow-Gauge Clif Laurie, he’s doing a wonderful job! 👏
Thanks, Xenia. Indeed he is!
There is still lot of snow on the roof and in our garden. Yesssss…let the melting begin!
You bet!
It’s nice to see you back here Snow-Gauge Clif. Laurie, you are a delight. Is 14 inches a lot or a little for this time of year?
Yearly snowfall averages for this area is 65 inches, and the beginning of March is an extension of February. This year we have more rain this winter, and the amount of snow seems to lower than usual. I will keep my eye out for official measurements. Could find any when I searched online, but it might be too early.
I am so pleased to see Snow-Gauge-Clif! Even though our weather is very different, I love to join in watching the snow melt 🙂 Small pleasures!
Thanks so much! A big pleasure for us to see the snow melt in March. 😉 By then, we are ready for spring.
Well measured, that’s a lot of snow. Hope it melts soon
Thanks, Susan! Same.
You are true, sturdy Maine-iacs! So good about putting up with the snow….I love snow right up til mid February, but now I am soooooo done. After the past days rain, almost all snow is gone here. Hoping for just rain from now on!
Julie
Truth be told, I am ready for the snow to be gone. I have been daydreaming about gardening. But this is Maine, and I know we have a while to go.
A most scientific snow gauge. You are lucky to have one.
You bet! Not everyone in Maine has this kind of snow gauge. 😉
Worth its weight in gold. 🙂
I was waiting for Clif’s Snow Gauge to make its appearance this 2022.
Sending you WARM wishes that your snow melts soon. Our grass is currently lush green on Vancouver Island…but that does not mean that snow won’t come again just to mess with our minds! 😀
Wow! Green grass. Thanks for the WARM wishes.
I didn’t quite understand how this works. I didn’t realize that Clif begins measuring on March 1 — but what a pleasure it will be to follow the melt with you two!
Actually, the first Monday of March as this is a Monday post. But close enough. 😉
We still have some snow on the ground, but we have a lot more standing water. The ground must be saturated because I’ve never seen this much standing water.
It has been one weird winter in northern New England. The temperatures have veered wildly. I’ve never seen anything like it. I seem to be writing that a lot lately.
Now life is back to normal – in Maine at least
Yes! If only the same were true for other parts of the world.
Clif is looking quite regal in his first 2022 measuring 🙂
I passed on your compliment. He’s had others, too. He is becoming quite hard to live with. (Just kidding!) 😉
Hahahaha!
“Wicked exciting,” indeed! Perhaps you can run a contest, letting us guess when the big snows will finally melt!
What a great idea!
So much snow still. It’s still pretty, but maybe outworn its welcome.
Yes, it has definitely outworn its welcome!
Wonderful to see Clif beginning the melting season countdown and let’s hope it’s a quick mud season and long patio season!!!🙂
From your lips to God’s ear!
You Mainers are so funny. Loved this post, Laurie. Let the melting begin!!!
When you live where the winters are long, you have to learn to make your own fun. 😉 Yes, let the melting begin.
Hurray for Snow Gauge Clif!
My goodness! 14 inches on your front yard …. that’s longer than a standard ruler (ours is 12 inches) … I am pondering how cold it must still be for all that snow to just sit. And Clif doesn’t even have a coat on!???!!
Our rulers are 12 inches long, too. The temps usually range from 10 to a high of 40 Fahrenheit. As for Clif wearing a coat…that is a coat, albeit a fall/spring coat. I think the temp got up to 45 that day. For a Mainer in winter, that is wicked warm. 😉
I am shaking my head in amazement!
You’ve made me wonder what the maximum height snow gauge Clif has recorded. An estimate would do! It always seems amazing to see how persistent your snow is. Ours rarely lasts much longer than a week, and where my sweetheart lives, it’s rarely longer than a day. I am torn as you will be: I kind of hope it melts earlier than usual because I know it is getting a bit much by mid-April, but kind of hope the norms prevail too.
I have to admit that until this year, we’ve never actually measured the snow. Clif just stood there with his snow gauge to give a visual sense of how much snow there was. This year, I decided to rectify this. I’m guessing that in the past, we’ve had as much as three feet of snow. I’m thinking of including pictures from past Marches so that people can see the how much snow we’ve had.
Do it. That would be fascinating!
14 inches still on the ground! Thanks for showing us life “north of north”! I also love your beautiful image of May, when “Spring, in a froth of blossoms, really kicks up her heels.” I look forward to seeing her swinging skirts through your eyes!
Ah, good to see Snow Gauge Cliff back in action! Hoping it’s a quick melt with not too much mud this year, Laurie. The bluebirds on your header photo are gorgeous. They are my absolute favorite bird.
Yes, may the melt be quick and the mud be gone soon. Bluebirds are beauties, that’s for sure.
xo
14 inches of snow in March and the month is yet young. We only had a couple of inches so far this year, and none of it stayed around. Relatives in NW NJ are having more snow again today. Their weather has been oscillating wildly.
Right? March in Maine.