Winter is over

OK, where did I leave my flip-flops.

Punxsutawney Phil (great name, pal!) was right. I hereby declare winter to be over.

Of course, if we get snow next week I reserve the right to revisit that prediction.

I gauge the way the day is going to go by what hits me when I walk out my front door at the ungodly hour I leave the house every day. I hate having to put on a coat, scarf, gloves, then all the gear I haul into the office, and last but most important, my theromos of coffee for the ride to Primos.

This morning was different. I eschewed my top coat, first time since the holidays.

It was 44 degrees when I climbed into the car. That will be today's low. The high is expected to push toward 70.

And it will be even warmer tomorrow and Thursday.

In fact, they say we could threaten records both days. The record high for tomorrow is 73, set back in 2000. We're expected to beat that by as much as 5 degrees. Thursday looks like a repeat, with a high of 76. The normal high for both days is 49.

You heard it here first.

Winter is over; bring on summer.

Thanks, Punxsutawney. You can get the full forecast here.