Check out the ‘Snow Moon’ This Weekend

This final weekend of February is bringing a full moon called the Snow Moon.  You will be able to see it tonight but it won't hit it's official full moon status until 3:19 AM Saturday morning.

As with all other full moon's, this one has a special name that is inspired by the season.  The Old Farmer's Almanac credits Native Americans with the naming of our full moons.  As you can imagine, the Snow Moon is named so because of the 'snowiest' month of the year according to Native American culture which is also in line with what we understand now according to information from the National Weather Service.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about 1/3 of the United States has snow right now.

Some years, February will have no full moon, also known as a Black Moon.  The last time we experienced this was in 2018 and the next time we will have a February with no full moon will be in 2037.  These special instances will include two blue moons in that year in January and March.

Other Native American names for this moon include the Cree name the Bald Eagle Moon, the Ojibwe name of the Bear Moon, the Dakota name of the Raccoon Moon and the Algonquin name of the Groundhog Moon.  Other Native American names come from the conditions experienced during this particular moon as seen in the Cherokee name for this months moon, the Hungry Moon.

Get out and enjoy that Snow Moon while it's around because it'll be gone to the Spring before you know it.