Average weather

Weather people like to tell you how much below or above average the current weather is.  Of course here in the great midwest of North America this is largely complete crap.  You can average the weather data, but there is no average weather around here.  Basically you go from too cold spring weather to summer instantly, and then back and forth a few times more.  It just depends upon what particular weather front is winning the push and pull battle as they cross the plains.  Three days ago the heat was on in our house because the temps at night were in the 30s.  Now it's in the 80s and you have to turn the heat off and get the window screens in place.  Ceiling fans get turned on in the bedrooms just a couple of days after you needed a blanket.  Plants have to be tough to deal with such weather.  On the good news side, cold weather has kept our field work in check and we're only running about 2 weeks late, and a few plants have had some prolonged flowering because of the cool nights.  On the bad side, grass is growing like crazy and TPP doesn't like to mow.  New street trees, a red oak, a swamp white oak, and an Accolade elm have been planted (by the city) to replace two huge white ash trees that had to be taken down because of emerald ash borer.  Now some rain is needed.  April was real wet, but May has been dry, oh, and you can average their rainfall amounts, but it's never just average.  Welcome to a continental climate.