Memorial Day 2024: Weather forecast, when and why the holiday started

Mariyam Muhammad, Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read

Excited about that day off from work at the end of May?

In America, Memorial Day always lands on the last Monday in May, and this year it will fall on May 27.

It isn’t just a day to have a cookout with family — it's a day that honors all military veterans, living and dead.

Here’s what to know about the federal holiday, which wasn't always called Memorial Day.

What’s the weather forecast for Memorial Day?

According to Old Farmer’s Almanac, May overall will be warm for the Midwest, across the Great Lakes and the Eastern Ohio Valley. But with warmth comes thunderstorms, and May is expected to have some rainfall.

For Memorial Day, Ohio’s skies are expected to be filled with sunshine, so you might not need to worry about umbrellas. For now.

When did Memorial Day start?

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day in 1868 as a way to honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War.

It occurred every year on May 30 until 1968, when Congress signed a law moving the holiday to the last Monday of May, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

Why did Memorial Day start?

According to Farmer’s Almanac, the day was originally set to remember Union soldiers who died during the Civil War. After World War I, its scope expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. After the Civil War, many US cities held memorial observations for their hometown heroes.

Memorial Day was then celebrated on May 30 every year up to 1967.

Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill in 1968, which moved Columbus Day, Presidents’ Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day to their own designated Mondays, which led to Memorial Day being on the last Monday of May every year since.

Are there Memorial Day traditions?

Memorial Day traditions include religious services, parades, and speeches across the United States, according to Britannica. Families and friends will also place flags, military badges, and flowers on the graves of veterans in local cemeteries.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When is Memorial Day 2024? What is the weather? Learn more about the holiday