The week kicked off with a couple of mild days Sunday and Monday with the long-awaited return of sunshine to campus.
Evan Webb, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids, said the reason for the more hospitable weather came from a low pressure system off to the west.
That area of low pressure then forced the winds to turn southerly, which brought up warm air from as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.
The nice weather encouraged students to get out of their dorms and parkas and soak in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine.
“We’ve been doing parkour (moving through an area through jumping or climbing),” packaging junior Scott Waldowski said. “It’s our first time actually out since the winter, pretty much.”
After being cooped up indoors for the duration of one of the most unforgiving winters Michigan residents have experienced in recent years, Waldowski said he’s looking forward heading outdoors for social events.
Other students have similar plans to make the most of the good weather.
“It’s great to spend as much time as you can outside,” finance senior Jack Avendt said. “Spending time out here grilling and having a few beers, tossing the football around and enjoying the weather.”
Many students took advantage of the lack of snow and frigid temperatures by enjoying warm-weather activities. These included running, parkour, playing frisbee and even canoeing on the Red Cedar River.
But the warm weather might not survive the week.
Webb said this low pressure system is associated with a cold front, and temperatures are expected to dip again later in the week.
Behind the cold front, winds will turn westerly and northwesterly, bringing in cold air from the north.
The rest of the week will consist of mixed precipitation, including snow and freezing rain Wednesday night.
The wintery mix of precipitation might create hazardous road conditions.
Highs will be in the lower 50s to upper 40s and even the upper 30s for the duration of the week.
However, the fleeting bout of what would be considered more spring-like weather conditions will be back again on Sunday, when the temperatures will get back up to the 50s.
