ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It’s been a cloudy March, but we finally had a break on Tuesday. We were finally treated to plentiful sunshine after three straight days of overcast. If we look at the last 13 days, every day besides Tuesday had at least 80% cloud cover.
That’s especially gloomy, even for March. This month’s historical average sky clarity is 49%. So far this time around, however, it has only been 21%. So why so cloudy? And what benefits can we expect from increased sunshine?
There are three main reasons why this March has been especially cloudy. The first is that we have seen more frequent low-pressure systems passing through lately, whether in the form of clippers or larger-scale, more impactful systems. These have brought clouds, wind, rain, and sometimes snow.
The second reason is that we have seen more bouts of colder air this month, many times behind those systems mentioned before, and when that cold air passes over the relatively warmer lakes, you get lake effect clouds. The third reason is that oftentimes in March, we get a winter chill at the surface, while warmer air passes above. This creates a temperature inversion, which can help trap moisture near the surface and create a stable, prolonged cloud layer. Overall, these three factors have made this a much cloudier March than we see on average.
Needless to say, we all miss the sun, and for good reason, too. Sunlight is vital for our physical and mental health. It helps regulate our circadian rhythm, which is essentially the biological clock within us that dictates many physiological processes such as sleep and wakefulness. It also makes our skin cells produce vitamin D, an essential nutrient for human health.
These two factors combined improve bone and muscle health, regulate the immune system and hormones, and decrease blood pressure. It also leads to increased serotonin and decreased cortisol, which vastly improves our mood. So when you feel crummy after a long stretch of cloudy days, it’s less about the vibes and more about actual human biology.
So when can we expect more sunshine? In the short term, Friday is looking especially sunny, albeit cold. Cloud cover increases gradually over the weekend, and then next week unfortunately will have a pesky stationary front over our region, which will cause yet another long stretch of clouds… So put on a jacket, get outside on Friday, and soak in the sun. It’s good for you! In the long term, our average sunshine increases with every passing month until July, when it tops out at 69%. It’ll be here before we know it. Keep on the sunny side.
Waiting on sunshine: Why has it been cloudy this March and how can sunshine boost health? WHEC.com.
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