
DATE: Monday, March 3, 1997                 TAG: 9703030046

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY AKWELI PARKER AND STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITERS 

                                            LENGTH:   86 lines

A TOUCH OF SUMMER SUNDAY'S JUNE-LIKE TEMPERATURES BROUGHT THE WINTER-WEARY TO PARKS, BEACHES AND ICE CREAM STANDS. HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?

Sunday was another June-like day . . . thing is, it's March.

As temperatures again neared 80 - this time there was no rain to spoil the fun - people came out in force to play.

Summer's continuing seduction of winter seems likely to continue, with high temperatures in the 60s expected through the week.

``In Romania right now, you still have snow,'' said Dorin Todor, a Romanian immigrant who put aside work on his physics Ph.D. at Old Dominion University to take his two children to Ocean View beach in Norfolk.

While snow is not the norm any time of the year in Hampton Roads, it is unusual to have such warm days - and so many of them - in February and March. Indeed, the winter of 1996-97 will be ranked as the 20th warmest in Norfolk since continual weather observations began in 1871.

The average temperature for the months of December through February - the period the National Weather Service officially labels as winter - was 44.7 degrees. That compares with the warmest winter on record, at 51.7 degrees, in 1889-1890.

There were nine days when the mercury got past 70, two each in December and January and five in February. The temperature got above 60 on 28 days.

With all that warm weather, it's no surprise that there was only a trace of snow. That's in stark contrast to last year, which brought 19.2 inches, the 11th snowiest winter on record.

The lowest temperature for the period was 14 set on Jan. 19.

Sunday's high of 78 came on a day when the average high is 54. That follows Thursday's record high of 82.

Still, the taste of June in March had its limits Sunday.

Todor's 8-year-old daughter Alina studied the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, estimating its temperature. ``I haven't tried it - I'm going to see,'' she said, before sprinting to the water's edge.

Her assessment was immediately evident when, after dipping only a single toe in the cold water, she came racing back to her father and her 9-year-old brother, Horia.

Unconvinced, Horia went down to see for himself.

``You were right,'' he told his sister. ``But the dirt is good,'' he added, and proceeded to dump a handful of mud into a tunnel they were working on.

The Todors were not alone in their sun-filled frolic.

Alfloyd and Ramona Mobly of Norfolk took advantage of the balmy temperatures with a family outing of their own.

``As you can see, he's just having a ball over there,'' said Alfloyd of his 18-month-old son DeShawn, who was busy constructing mud and sand sculptures.

Originally from Florida, Mobly said he was hoping for a more traditional winter - with bitter cold and more than the paltry dusting of snow Hampton Roads has received this season.

But, he added, he wasn't complaining about spring's early cameo appearance.

Holding up his arms as if celebrating the return of a long-lost friend, Harvey Lane of Virginia Beach had one word to describe the hospitable weather: ``Fantastic.''

``I have a bike program,'' Lane said, ``but when the winter comes I have to cut back.'' A ride through Seashore State Park Sunday was Lane's first time on his bike since November.

The park was overflowing with hikers and bikers, eager to take advantage of the mild transition period between finger-numbing winter and sweltering summer.

At the Virginia Beach oceanfront, the scene resembled summer - kids cruised Atlantic and Pacific avenues in customized cars, in-line skaters darted between pedestrians on the boardwalk and ice cream stand owners sat back and watched the money roll in.

Richard Maddox, owner of two oceanfront Dairy Queens, didn't seem to mind having to work at his 17th Street store Sunday.

``As of 5 o'clock, we had done more business than we did . . . on July Fourth of last year,'' Maddox said.

``There's no doubt about it, our sales have definitely been up because of the weather,'' he said. ``People have been cooped up and they want to take advantage of days like today.'' ILLUSTRATION: A BREATH OF FRESH (WARM) AIR

[Color Photo]

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

In the West Park View area of Portsmouth, Dr. Frank Downing heads

inside after cleaning his yard. Sunday's high temperature was 78.

A WARM WINTER

STEVE STONE/The Virginian-Pilot

GRAPHIC

[For a copy of the chart, see microfilm for this date.]