Now that we've reached both the official start of spring (March 20) and the unofficial start of spring (Bell's Oberon Day) West Michigan is hyped for warmer weather and all that it brings with it.

Unfortunately, just because it's spring in West Michigan that doesn't mean it's all sunshine and rainbows from here on out. We Michiganders know all too well that spring in Michigan isn't all it's cracked up to be. In fact, just the other day I found myself irritated by the changing of the seasons and everything that goes along with it.

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Here are my gripes when it comes to spring in West Michigan:

Construction

westnedge ave construction
Brandon James/TSM
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As we say here in Michigan, "Construction season is always in season." True, but it's especially annoying in the springtime. In the Kalamazoo-area we've already seen road work on Stadium Drive, Lovers Lane, and the ever-present headache of I-94. Get used to it! It's not changing anytime soon.


Potholes

Dana Marshall
Dana Marshall
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This goes right along with the headache of construction season. After the first several snows of the season, plow trucks absolutely decimate the roads. Crews will come in to patch the holes only to have them destroyed by the plows during the next snow. It's a vicious cycle we know all to well in West Michigan and the I-94/Kilgore pothole will continue to live in infamy.


Allergies

Photo by Alex Jones on Unsplash
Photo by Alex Jones on Unsplash
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One allergy expert claims West Michigan is one of the worst places for allergies due to high moisture levels from the lake which help facilitate plant growth like grass, weeds, and tree pollen. The Midwest, including Michigan, has some of the highest ragweed levels on Earth.


Blooming Trash

Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash
Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash
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Once the snow melts there are scattered piles of litter all along the city roads and freeways. That is one good thing about the snow- it covers all that trash! Out of sight, out of mind...until springtime.


Dirty Snow Piles

Keep Track Of What Streets Have Been Plowed In Battle Creek
City of Battle Creek
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In the farthest, shadowy corner of every parking lot you'll find a ginormous mountain of brown snow that has been piled up by the snow plows throughout the winter months. I'm always curious to see how long these piles will stick around despite the warming weather, it's usually later in the season than you'd think!


Ever-Present Threat of Snow

Photo by Dea Piratedea on Unsplash
Photo by Dea Piratedea on Unsplash
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This is one of those factors that contributes, in part, to the lingering parking lot snow piles. Sometimes (actually, quite often) it snows in the springtime! This is also one of the reasons I have trust issues. Especially in West Michigan, we have been known to see snow well into May which is why I never truly let my guard down until June.


Dressing for the Season

Photo by Jarosław Kwoczała on Unsplash
Photo by Jarosław Kwoczała on Unsplash
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It's cold in the morning yet warm in the afternoon. How do you dress for this time of the year? You can't quite put away your winter jacket, yet you'll probably regret wearing short sleeves. Especially in the workplace, this is the time of the year when it's stuffy in the office because you aren't fully prepared to turn the heat off, but it's also too early to turn on the A/C. It's an awkward time of the year.


Lake Life

Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
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Lake Michigan looks beautiful no matter the time of the year, but looks are deceiving. Though we may experience temperatures pushing 70, the water temperature will remain much colder. You won't find me splashing around Lake Michigan until summer is almost over! Unless of course the wind is coming up from the south and brings the warmer water from Chicago along with it.

The arrival of spring means things are headed in the right direction, but what do you dislike about springtime in Michigan in particular?

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