This year, Imbolc - one of the four annual “Cross Quarter Days” - is today, February 4th (i.e., based on the “Mean Sun” method of calculation).

Since 2015, we have posted occasional sightings to Journey North (of robins, milkweeds, Monarchs, etc.).  For four of those years we have made “first signs of Spring” postings, but never earlier than the last week of February (i.e., on

2/24/2017,
2/23/2018,
2/24/2022, &
2/24/2023) - typically snow drops and such.

But with a couple of warm sunny days now (after seemingly weeks of damp, cold, dreary, overcast days), we already have our first signs of Spring for 2024 on Imbolc – snow drops and sprouting daffodil leaves.  Much earlier than I would have previously expected.

At about 4:00 PM EST, when I took these photos, the air temperature was 48°F, the dew point was 21°F, the humidity was 34%, the air was calm and the air pressure was 28.74 inches with fair skies.

                                  -  Tim

2/9/2024 Addendum:  A second snow drop popped up through some fallen leaves today in a shadier spot than the one we spotted this past Sunday.  Other than those two blooms, we have neither buds nor flowers on any of our crocuses or daffodils thus far.

On a related note, we have reported sightings of robins back in
December and
January.  And there are some around now in February.  I do not know if this is always the same flock coming by every few days, or is each spotting a different “wave” of migrating robins passing through our neighborhood.