The vernal equinox – aka the spring season – officially arrives at 12:57 p.m. EDT today (Thursday).

Spring brings visions of blooming flowers and chirping birds. It also brings longer daylight hours, which will hopefully lead to warmer temperatures.

And after a long, cold and wet (rain, snow and ice) winter – perhaps one of the coldest and wettest periods on record in the Roanoke-Chowan area – local residents will welcome a change.

The local weather will resemble Spring over the next few days. Today’s high, under sunny skies, will top out in the mid-to-upper 60’s. Friday promises the same forecast followed by a high temp of 72 degrees on Saturday.

Just about the time local residents feel like they are finally thawing out, the weather will take a turn.

Despite sunny skies on Monday, the high will only be in the upper 40’s. There’s a chance of rain during the day on Tuesday. That night, the low will hover around the freezing mark and forecasters are predicting a chance of rain mixed with snow.

Old Man Winter refuses to loosen his grip.