It's spring?

Through the winter of my discontent, I've tried to be patient. I've tried to be understanding. I've tried to roll with the snowy punches, the biting cold, the snow piled in the middle of the street, the ice on the windshield.

I've not done a good job of it, but I've tried -- in a half-hearted kind of way.

"Hey, come on, it's winter," said entertainment writer Brad Newman a couple of months ago. Brad is one of those species who likes cold and snow and admits to it. See this picture? That's his ideal July 4 celebration.

"Hey, it's supposed to be cold. Now if it's the spring, OK, I can understand your gripe."

So, what say you now, Brad? Saturday is the official first day of spring, March 20. Here's what's in store for us on a day that's not officially winter. It's spring.

Precipitation in the form of rain should begin by about 6 p.m. It will change to snow by midnight. The first day of spring we will be greeted by north winds of 25 to 35 mph and 1 to 2 inches of snow at least, and as much as 3 to 6 inches up north.

The average high is supposed to be 63 on Saturday. We'll be lucky to get in the low 30s in this March blizzard.

"Winter is going to smash spring in the mouth," said Brad and it wasn't too hard to detect the glee. And then he starts to rationalize.

"We've had 60- to 70-degree days prematurely," he said. "Winter is getting one last hurrah, one last effort."

I hope you can't find your ice scraper tomorrow.