MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- Milder temperatures in the tail end of winter and a sign of life in the soils coincide with the nickname of the March full moon, set to occur Thursday.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the Algonquin tribes in the northern parts of the current United States labeled this month's full moon illumination as the Worm Full Moon. The full moon of March usually coincided with a softening of the ground after a frigid winter period, allowing earthworms to surface.
This month's full moon has also been referred to as the Sap Moon, the Crow Moon, the Lenten Moon, and, though not as commonly, the Storm Moon.
The longer duration of the deep freeze in parts of the U.S. may force a later presence of worms from underneath the surface. However, conditions in north Florida should be relatively warmer to keep worm-grunting efforts on track. The annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival is scheduled for Apr. 11 in Wakulla County. Average lows in April rise from the 50s into the 60s, with daytime highs reaching the 80s more frequently.