Beech Tree News Network

Recently, we have gone through some “little winters.”  These cold snaps are most prevalent in the southern states and might have a different order or a different expected date depending on the location. According to folklore, four basic springtime “winters” are: Redbud, Locust, Dogwood, and Blackberry. Two other “little winters” are Linsey-Woolsey Britches (or Cotton Britches) and Whippoorwill. These cold snaps may occur from March to early June.

-Redbud Winter: Redbud Winter is the first cold snap in spring, occurring in March or April when the redbud trees are in full bloom. 

-Locust Winter:  Some connect this “little winter” to when leaves start to appear on locust trees in early April, and others to when the trees bloom in May. Locust Winter and Redbud Winter happen after the first flush of warm spring days and before Dogwood Winter and Blackberry Winter. Locust Winter generally isn’t as long or as cold as Blackberry Winter.

-Dogwood Winter: This cold snap happens during the time the dogwoods bloom, usually between mid-April and mid-May. With the possibility of frost happening during Dogwood Winter, old-timers knew to wait until after the dogwood bloomed to plant tender vegetables and annuals. 

-Blackberry Winter: Blackberries need a cold snap to set buds on the blackberry canes. This cold snap is known as Blackberry Winter. According to those who know, it comes with a somewhat less severe return of a continental polar air mass after the maritime tropical air masses have begun to dominate the weather. And we see blackberry bushes bloom.

-Linsey-Woolsey Britches (or Cotton Britches) Winter: Linsey-Woolsey Britches Winter was once a popular term, back when winter clothing was homespun of linen/wool, and winters were harsher. It was the last time in spring that you’d need "long johns" before trading them for short sleeves, and it usually came about the time of Blackberry Winter. During this “little winter,” the linsey-woolsey (linen and wool) pants worn in cold weather were put away and farmers changed to the light cotton pants of summer.

- Whippoorwill Winter: The last named winter, Whippoorwill Winter, is actually a herald of warmer days coming to stay for the summer. The whippoorwill migrates from wintering in Mexico to their summer range farther north in late May to early June. Whippooreill Winter is not as cold as the other "little winters.' It occurs in mid to late May, when the whippoorwills can firstt be heard in the twilight of evenings and before dawn.

As climate change has brought warmer temperatures, the “little winters” in our region may now occur two to three weeks earlier in the season than observed in the 19th and 20th century. This year we have already experienced some of these cold snaps. Each spring I enjoy trying to identify the “little winters,” knowing each brings us one step closer to warm weather.