Snowblowers, plows and shovels came out in force on Saturday afternoon, March 24, after the area was buried under at least 10 inches of snow.

Spring officially arrived across the U.S. on Tuesday, March 20.

Just four days later, on Saturday, March 24, winter was back in the Blue Earth area. And, it was back with a vengeance.

The snow actually started during the late Friday night/early Saturday morning hours.

By the time Blue Earth residents were up and about at 8 a.m. Saturday morning, there were eight inches of new, heavy, wet snow on the ground and it was still coming down, hard.

By the time the snow quit, around 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon, there was at least 10 inches of it on the ground. Some reports listed as much as 14 inches in the local area.

It was a narrow band of snow that crossed the State of Minnesota from the western border of Minnesota, traveling southeast down through Blue Earth and continuing southeast across Iowa.

Just north of Blue Earth, towards Mankato, only a few inches were recorded. In Minneapolis there was no snow.

Same thing for heading east on I-90. There was much less snow past Albert Lea and not a flake of snow was spotted in Rochester.

Some people blamed it on the infamous curse of the State Boys Basketball Tournament, which was wrapping up on Saturday. But others noted that the snow did not hit the Twin Cities where the tournament was being held.

Area residents spent much of Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday digging out from under the snow. By Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday warmer temperatures were making the snow disappear in a hurry, except where it has been mounded up.

The bad news for winter-weary local residents was the forecast for possible more snow on Friday and again on Monday and Wednesday of the coming week. Temperatures were also expected to stay below average for the next several days as well.

The snow and cold temperatures has also caused all of the spring sports teams at Blue Earth Area to be practicing indoors. The baseball, softball and track teams are sharing the gymnasiums at the high school and middle school, while the golf teams are in the upper level of Pemberton Auditorium and the wrestling practice room at the high school. The boys tennis team is at the court at the Faribault County Fitness Center.

Everyone in the area seems to be anxiously awaiting spring the real one, not the one on the calendar and would be happy with no more cold and snow.