Spring is here: What the vernal equinox means
FILE - Blooming cherry blossoms are pictured over people on the first day of spring on March 20, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
You must have blinked because spring is here – again!
Based on astronomical seasons, the first day of spring is marked by the arrival of the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, it’s March 20.
In the U.S., get ready for earlier sunrises and later sunsets until the summer solstice in June. It’s time for warmer weather, gardening, and lots of migrating animals.
What is the equinox?
Dig deeper:
The Earth orbits the sun at an angle.
For most of the year, it is either tilted away or toward the sun, which means the sun’s light falls unequally on the northern and southern halves of the planet.
During the equinox, the Earth’s axis and its orbit line up so that both hemispheres get an equal amount of sunlight.
The Northern Hemisphere’s spring – or vernal – equinox can land between March 19 and 21. Its fall – or autumnal – equinox can be between Sept. 21 and 24.
What is the vernal equinox? The science behind the astronomical seasons explained
The vernal equinox marks the beginning of astronomical spring and occurs in the Northern Hemisphere around March 20th, whereas the autumnal equinox falls around September 22nd.
What’s the difference between astronomical spring and meteorological spring?
So, astronomical spring begins on March 20 this year, but what about meteorological spring? Yes, there are technically two first days of spring.
Meteorological spring began on March 1.
Meteorological seasons are defined by the weather. They’re divided into three-month seasons based on yearly temperature cycles. Meteorological spring ends May 31.
On that calendar, spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on Sept. 1, and winter on Dec. 1.
The other side:
Astronomical seasons depend on how the Earth orbits the sun.
The astronomical seasons for 2025 will be:
- Spring (vernal equinox): March 20, 2025
- Summer (summer solstice): June 20, 2025
- Fall (autumnal equinox): Sept. 22, 2025
- Winter (winter solstice): Dec. 21, 2025
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from The Associated Press, the Farmer’s Almanac, and previous reporting by LiveNOW from FOX. This story was reported from Los Angeles.