March 1st is the day we traditionally turn our eyes to the sky speculating on the weather of the day. The adage is that if March comes in like a lion, then it goes out like a lamb. Of course, the reverse scenario of a pleasant start to March supposedly leads to a nasty stretch heading into April. In a month known for weather turmoil and a climate that can see 20 degree temperature shifts in a day, there’s a lot riding on a proverb.

Some will tell you that the belief stems from the astrological signs Leo the lion and Aries the ram. With Leo rising at the beginning of March and Aries in April, the weather became entwined with the annual astrological event. Another source has the belief gaining traction in 19th century Pennsylvania. But remember, that’s the same place that has weather forecasting pinned to the mood of a dozing groundhog.

The Farmers’ Almanac attributes the saying to the abiding belief that there is balance in life and in nature. Everything turbulent and stormy will be met with an equivalent calm. Over the course of a life, a person may perceive more of one than the other, but that notion seems reasonable. So oddsmakers looking at a 50-50 bet when it comes to the weather might look to the “lion-lamb” philosophy as a guide.

In the end, our perception of weather is pretty relative. After a February of bitter cold and wind, if the end of March brings high temperatures of -15, we’ll probably see people in board shorts and flip flops out shovelling their driveways.

Look to the skies.