Schrödinger’s Spring: How to Tell It’s Springtime in Wyoming

I like to call this magical time in the Cowboy State "Schrödinger's Spring." Named after the famous Schrödinger's Cat, it's because you can't tell if it's spring or not until you open your front door in the morning. Until that, it's simultaneously three seasons. Winter, Spring, and Summer. You could open the door and find snow falling and frost on your windshield, or you could open the door and have to take your winter coat off because it's sunny and hot outside.

A lot of people say we don't have a "true" spring in Wyoming. It's more like a sputtering bit of winter as it slowly decides to become summer outside. Others say that Wyoming only has two seasons: Road closures and road construction. But I like to think of it as more of a fun game of chance. What will it be today? Winter? Spring? Summer? Who knows! Let's be ready for everything.

You can tell it's starting to become spring in Wyoming when birds start singing a little more, when they're not hiding from the surprise snows. When you sometimes move some old snow from the ground and find green grass struggling to get through it! When you find yourself bringing a coat with you "just in case," instead of needing it to leave the house, and for rural folks, calves and foals and fabulous babies start to appear.

It's springtime! Now it's just a matter of finding out what kind of spring it is day by day.