This March 20 is the spring equinox, when day and night have the same length. It marks the first day of astronomical spring in our regions. In the southern hemisphere, it is the opposite. This March 20 marks the day of the autumn solstice. We’ll explain it to you.
Season – Spring is the return of sunny days. -AdobeStock
Manon Hypacie
Published on 03/20/2024 at 06:42
This Monday, March 20, is the first day of spring. This date is defined according to the position of the Earth around the Sun. So spring does not start on a fixed date. It does not fall every year on March 21, as many people have in mind.
Its start varies between March 19 and 21 each year.
During the equinox, the day is as long as the night. The 2024 spring season will extend until June 20, during the summer solstice, when the day is the longest of the year.
Two equinoxes and two annual solstices
There are two equinoxes and two solstices per year. It’s the time when we change seasons. They are calculated based on the position of the Sun, and change regularly since the Earth does not orbit the Sun in exactly 365 days.
In 2024, the spring equinox occurred on March 20. The summer solstice will take place on June 20, the autumnal equinox on September 22 and the winter solstice will take place on December 21.
Spring weather began on March 1
If astronomical spring is calculated based on the movements of the Earth around the sun, the same is not true for meteorological spring. This started on March 1st. In reality, meteorological seasons are determined on the basis of an international agreement.
Spring begins on March 1st, summer on June 1st, autumn on September 1st and winter on December 1st. An easier way for scientists and meteorologists to compile statistics and reports by counting month by month.
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