Helena woke Thursday morning to snow and sleet, blue skies and wind -- a fitting Montana tribute to the first day of spring.

Some opened the day scraping ice off car windshields before donning sunglasses at noon and dodging water dripping from downtown eaves.

"Winter is easier than summer," said mailwoman Patricia Hunt, delivering parcels and packages on the shady side of Last Chance Gulch. "Summer gets too hot, but I love spring. I love the colors -- when the grass starts greening up and the flowers start to bloom."

An observant few have already spotted lilies and tulips pushing up through the dirt. Sprigs of green grass, though few in number, already pepper planters and parks.

The new season officially arrived at 11:48 p.m. Wednesday with the vernal equinox -- the moment the sun passes over the Earth's equator. In the northern hemisphere, the days will grow longer and warmer -- a steady march toward summer.

While the shaded clock at Valley Bank read 39 degrees just past noon, it could have been 42 degrees, or even 44 degrees in the sun.

Lucky citizens found time to scale Mount Helena, their silhouettes seen from the city, where patches of snow and ice still clung to the shadows.

Chiropractor Nick Smith sprinkled salt outside his office to ensure his customers didn't slip upon arrival or departure from a midday adjustment.

"Spring means that it's warming up and there will be less of this," he said, dropping the salt from a cup onto the ice. "I just got a book on Montana birds. I'm looking forward to getting out and trying to identify some."

A few sparrows darted from one leafless tree to another. The magpies took to the skies, the pigeons to the rooftops.

Down at Coney Island, hot dogs and chips will soon overtake soups and such as the lunchtime favorite. An old-fashioned hot dog goes with the season.

"We like the thought of the hot-dog carts going out on the walking mall," said Tricia Krei, peddling lunch while thinking of spring. "We like the thought of having Alive at Five start on Wednesdays."

Outside the window, past the hot dogs and neon, the wind blew briskly. Some walked by wearing earmuffs. Only a few stayed on the sunny side of the street.

"It's a little windy, but this is Montana," Krei said. "What do we expect?"

Reporter Martin Kidston: 447-4086 or mkidston@helenair.com