Following recent bouts of wintry storms and uncharacteristically frigid temperatures affecting regions in the Western part of the country this February, the longing for the arrival of spring has intensified for many. As fate would have it, spring is on the brink of making its grand entrance this week, at least according to the forecasts of our trusted meteorologists. The well-known event marking the commencement of spring, known as the vernal equinox, represents the precise moment when the sun’s rays directly illuminate the equator. In the upcoming year of 2023, the vernal equinox is slated to take place on Monday, March 20th, precisely at 5:24 p.m. Eastern Time.
The counterpart to the vernal equinox, the autumnal equinox, along with the summer and winter solstices, occur in late September, June, and December, respectively, driven by the tilting of the Earth’s axis during its orbit around the sun. This varying angle of the sun throughout the year gives rise to what is referred to as astronomical seasons. However, meteorologists veer away from these seemingly rigid definitions due to the influence of temperatures.
Upon scrutinizing the average daily high and low temperatures over the course of the year, a discernible pattern emerges. Typically, the coldest three-month stretch in the Northern Hemisphere spans from early December through late February, while the warmest period typically spans from early June through late August. These neatly delineated three-month segments are termed meteorological winter and summer, respectively. Notably, these temperature-based classifications do not align precisely with the astronomical seasons.
For instance, the period from late December through March is considered astronomical winter. Climate expert Brian Brettschneider from Alaska discovered that the meteorological winter from December 1st to February 28th better correlates with the coldest phase of the year across most of the United States and Canada. In a comprehensive examination of numerous U.S. cities, Brettschneider found that Honolulu, Hawaii, experienced its chilliest 90-day period stretching well into March.
For residents in the northern regions of the U.S., this timeline resonates. It may seem somewhat peculiar to declare “winter has arrived” mere days before Christmas, especially when many northern areas have already encountered significant snowfall or frigid conditions. Meteorological spring, spanning from March 1st to May 31st, forms the transition between the three coldest and three warmest months of the year.
An additional benefit of meteorological seasons lies in the ease of calculating seasonal data, as each meteorological season commences on the first of the month. March ushers in a period of increasing daylight and rising temperatures across the country. With the daylight saving time shift scheduled for March 12th, most regions in the northern U.S. will enjoy an additional hour of evening sunlight. Even without daylight saving time, these areas would typically gain
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