Mohawk Valley Almanac for March 2025
March has no federal or state holidays. Due to the Full Worm Moon falling after the equinox, the Jewish Passover begins much later this year, beginning on April 12. Easter ia late as well, on April 20th. However, St. Patrick’s Day, the semi-annual “daylight shifting time,” the vernal equinox starting the spring season, and Maple Weekends are major highlights of this month as spring begins.
Holidays and Observances in March 2025
March 2 Texas Independence Day
March 4 Mardi Gras – Shrove Tuesday; Town Meeting Day – Vermont
March 5 Ash Wednesday
March 8 International Women’s Day
March 9 Daylight Savings Time Begins at 2 A.M.
March 15 St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Utica
March 17 St. Patrick’s Day
March 20 St. Joseph’s Day
March 20 Vernal Equinox
March 22-23 Maple Weekend
March 29-30 Maple Weekend
March 31 Seward’s Day – Alaska; Cesar Chavez Day César Chávez Day
Utica is home to one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 15th. After a winter of above average snowfall, this is when thousands of Central New Yorkers come out of a near winter hibernation and begins (unofficially) spring. This transition from winter to spring formally follows a few days later on the 20th of March with the vernal equinox, mid-way between the winter and summer solstices.
On Sunday, March 9th, the semi-annual “daylight shifting time” begins at 2 A.M as the clocks are moved one hour ahead, resulting in sunset being an hour later and more daylight in the early evening.
This past winter was a bit colder than usual, and near record snowfall. This was quite notable after several mild winters. In Utica and the Mohawk Valley, snow may last a bit longer than usual. Root crops and greens may have to be planted more in April, especially in the higher elevations of the North Country. For those serious about gardening, late February and early March is time to start more frost sensitive plants.
Later in the month are Maple Weekends in New York State. This celebrates numerous small farm producers of this sweet syrup. Many maple producers across the state are open with special tours of their production of this syrup, from the trees with pipelines in the bush to their boiling processes. Many sites have special sales and pancake breakfasts on these two weekends. This all highlights a small but important part of regional agriculture in New York State. Several Maple producers are present in Oneida, Madison, Otsego, Montgomery and Lewis Counties and across the state.
In the Night Skies
Mercury is seen in the early evening western sky, below Venus and the Moon on the 1st, and appears close to Venus on the 8th to the 10th. After Daylight Savings Time begins on the 9th, Mercury may be visible to the west for a few evenings from 7:15-7:30 P.M.
The Moon and Jupiter are in conjunction to the south on the 5th with the Taurus orange star of Aldebaran below them. The Moon is close to a rather dim Mars on the 18th, with Castor and Pollux of Gemini to the left. Venus changes from an evening star to a morning star after the 22nd. The vernal equinox, mid-way between winter and summer solstice and the beginning of spring is on March 20th.
Moon Phases for March 2025
March 6, EST First Quarter Moon Rises 9:59 A.M., NE Set 1:30 A.M., NW
March 14, EDT Full Worm Moon Rises 7:43 P.M., E Set 7:24 A.M., W
March 20, EDT Vernal Equinox Rises 1:02 A.M., SE Sets 9:39 A.M., NW
March 22, EDT Last Quarter Rises 3:03 A.M., SE Sets 11:15 A.M., SW
March 25, EDT Full Worm Moon Rises 6:53 P.M., E Set 5:25 A.M., W
Rise and Set times of Sun, Moon, and Visible Planets on March 20, 2023
Sunrise : 7:01 A.M. Sunset 7:15 P.M.
Moonrise: Waning Gibbous Moon 1:02 A..M. SE, Moonset 9:39 A.M., NW
Mercury Sets 7:54 P.M., W
Venus Sets 7:45 P.M., W
Mars Sets 4:24 A.M., NW
Jupiter Sets 1:34 A.M.
Saturn Not Visible
Uranus Sets 11:50 P.M., NW
