Astronomically speaking, the March equinox occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator on its way north along the ecliptic. In the Northern Hemisphere, the March equinox is known as the vernal, or spring, equinox, and marks the start of the spring season.
Meteorologically speaking, however, in the Northern Hemisphere the official spring season always begins on March 1 and continues through May 31. Summer begins on June 1; autumn, September 1; and winter, December 1.
Some Fun Facts:
According to folklore, you can stand a raw egg on its end on the equinox. It’s a myth that you can only balance an egg on its end during the vernal equinox. With a lot of patience you can balance a raw egg on its end at any time of year. (The first day of spring has nothing to do with it.)
Classic songs about spring include “April Showers”, “April in Paris”, “Spring Is Here”; “Spring Again”; and “It Might As Well Be Spring”. Pop songs often associated with spring include “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles; “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash; and “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves.
Worms begin to emerge from the earth, ladybugs land on screen doors, green buds appear, birds chirp, and flowers begin to bloom.
Spring fever is a real phenomenon! When the outdoor temperature rises, your blood vessels expand. As a result, blood can be carried to the body surface where heat can be lost quickly, giving some people an energetic “spring” in their step.
Severe weather most often occurs during the spring, when warm air begins to move up from the south and cold air pushes down from the polar regions. The volatile combination sets the stage for an final, epic battle between spring and winter resulting in occasional heavy snow or torrential rains. Spring usually wins the war sometime around mid-April.
The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” All over the world, days and nights are approximately equal. Today, the Sun rises exactly in the east and sets exactly in the west.
