When does spring start in 2024? What you need to know about the spring equinox

It’s almost spring. Today is the vernal equinox, which marks the official start of the season in the Northern Hemisphere. On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at exactly 11:06 p.m. EDT, the spring equinox will happen.

But why is today the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere?

What is an equinox?

The equinoxes happen only twice a year, in the spring and the fall. They happen when the sun is straight overhead at noon, making 24 hours of daylight and darkness almost equal. Equal night is what the Latin words aequus and nox mean. This is where the word “equinox” comes from.

It’s most often on March 19, 20, or 21. The Farmer’s Almanac says that a spring equinox on March 21 should not happen very often. The mainland U.S. hasn’t had one since the beginning of the 21st century, and it won’t happen again until 2101.

The date changes because the National Centers for Environmental Information say that the Earth goes around the sun in 365.24 days, but a calendar year is 365 days.

What is the difference between the equinox and the spring season?

The vernal equinox of 2024 takes place on March 19, but spring technically began at the beginning of the month. NASA categorizes seasons into two groups: meteorological and astronomical.

The calendar links the weather seasons, which are based on the yearly cycle of temperatures. Groups of three months comprise the weather seasons. Spring in the weather lasts from March 1 to May 31 every year.

The years are based on how tilted Earth’s axis is and where it is in its journey around the sun.

In the Southern Hemisphere, when does spring begin?

In the Southern Hemisphere, spring starts in September. In the Northern Hemisphere, fall starts in September. In the Southern Hemisphere, the March equinox will mean later sunrises and earlier sunsets, cooler winds, and dry, falling leaves. In the Northern Hemisphere, on the other hand, Tuesday’s equinox will mean earlier sunrises and later sunsets, calmer winds, and plants that are just starting to grow.

Faith, customs, and stories

Even though Easter isn’t until the end of March, there’s a practice to do with eggs and the spring equinox. According to a post on weather.gov, Chinese culture holds the belief that you can make an egg stand on end at the precise moment when winter ends and spring begins. You could theoretically stand an egg on end on any day of the year, though, if you were very patient.

The spring equinox coincides with the Persian New Year, Nowruz. The United Nations says that people in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and other places have observed it for more than 3,000 years.

When are the next full moon and new moon?

The summer solstice is coming up on June 20. People who can’t wait for summer to start should wait. On Sunday, September 22, the autumnal equinox will happen, which means the start of fall. This year, the winter solstice is on December 21.

What is the difference between the solstices and the equinoxes?

There are two more ways to divide the year. The weather sets the meteorological seasons. Based on changes in yearly temperature, they divide the year into three seasons. Spring starts on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on September 1, and winter on December 1. What a calendar!

The seasons are based on how fast Earth goes around the sun. Each spring and fall begin at the equinox. It is the solstices that start summer and winter.