ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Just days after the Rockford area was buried under nearly six inches of snow, residents celebrated the first day of spring Friday with sunshine, warm temperatures and crowded parks.
From March 13–17, a mid‑March blizzard swept across northern Illinois, dropping about 5.7 inches of snow at Chicago Rockford International Airport, according to National Weather Service data. The heaviest bands fell March 15–16 as the storm moved across the Illinois‑Wisconsin border.
The sudden shift from winter conditions to spring warmth came as a welcome surprise for many residents…