Look at them go! The leading edge of the migration advanced more than 200 miles this week on powerful south winds and in unusually warm temperatures. Back in Mexico where the migration began, Estela finds the sanctuary nearly empty. How can people help migrating monarchs? Dr. Karen Oberhauser answers this question among the many submitted by our readers. Enjoy!

This Week's Update Includes:

• News: A Big Jump North and East
• FAQ: Answers from the Monarch Butterfly Expert
• The Migration: Maps and Journal Page

News: A Big Jump North and East

¡Casi vacio!
"Nearly empty!" said Estela Romero after Tuesday's trip to El Rosario sanctuary. Just look at the pictures! Estela also interviewed children in the local community. How do they say people feel about the monarch's departure?

• News from Angangueo by Estela Romero
• Noticias de Angangueo por Estela Romero

Migration Highlights

Warm Front Carries Monarchs Northward
Temperatures soared to record-setting levels in the central U.S. last weekend. A warm front, with its strong south winds, carried monarchs across Oklahoma and Arkansas, and even into Missouri. The northernmost monarch was reported there from latitude 37N. Large numbers of monarchs must have been on the move. Not only did people report seeing their first monarch; they often saw their second and third. We received another surprising sighting from the East this week: A likely monarch was spotted in New Jersey!

• See: Warm Fronts Carry Monarchs Northward

April Flowers
Flowers blooming in backyards across the south were magnets for hungry monarchs last week. Imagine the nectar corridor monarchs follow as they migrate:

April 3: Kingfisher, Oklahoma (36N, 98W)
"Welcome Monarchs! Just spotted my 1st monarch of the season- a faded female trying to nectar on my lilac bush, hanging on for dear life due to the strong southerly winds with gusts up to 40 mph. The monarchs are struggling to make it through Oklahoma in this crazy wind."

April 3: Jenks, Oklahoma (36N, 96W)
"Saw 2 monarchs an my lilac bush nectaring about 5 pm this afternoon. One was there for over an hour. I was able to get pictures despite the very windy conditions."

What nectar sources can you find in April? Take a trip outside and see!

When will the migration reach your hometown?
Use this week's Journal Page to find the monarch closest to you. Then measure the migration's rate of travel to predict the date you'll see your first monarch of spring 2011.

How Do Spring and Fall Migration Compare?
One disappointed observer wrote recently to ask, "Why are people only reporting one monarch at a time? I thought they would see hundreds!" Why is spring migration so quiet compared to fall?

• Dr. Bill Calvert compares spring and fall migration.