When is the first day of spring in 2024? What to know about the vernal equinox

Spring has almost arrived; The spring equinox, the official start date of the season in the northern hemisphere, arrives on Tuesday, March 19.

The 2024 spring equinox will occur at exactly 11:06 pm EDT on Tuesday. But why does this day mark the beginning of spring and why only in the northern hemisphere?

What is an equinox?

There are only two equinoxes a year: vernal and autumnal. They occur when the sun is directly overhead at noon, creating nearly equal portions of day and night in a 24-hour period. The word equinox itself is derived from the Latin words aequus and nox, or equal night.

It usually falls on March 19, 20, or 21. A spring equinox on March 21 is rare, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. There hasn’t been one in the continental US for the entire 21st century and there won’t be one until 2101.

He date variesin part, because the Earth travels around the Sun in 365.24 days, while a calendar year is 365 days, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

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

While the 2024 spring equinox falls on March 19, meteorological spring began earlier in the month. According to NASA, there are two types of stations: meteorological and astronomical.

Weather stations are tied to the calendar and are based on the annual temperature cycle. The weather stations are divided into groups of three months. Every year, meteorological spring lasts from March 1 to May 31.

Astronomical stations are based on the tilt of the Earth’s axis and the position of the Earth during its orbit around the sun.

When does spring start in the southern hemisphere?

In the southern hemisphere, spring begins in September, while in the northern hemisphere autumn begins.

The March equinox will bring later sunrises, earlier sunsets, colder winds and dry leaves falling in the Southern Hemisphere. The opposite is true in the northern hemisphere, where Tuesday’s equinox will bring earlier sunrises, later sunsets, lighter winds and budding plants.

Rituals, traditions and myths

While Easter isn’t until the end of March, there is a egg tradition linked to the equinox. According to a Weather.gov post, Chinese tradition includes the belief that an egg can be made to stand on end at the exact moment winter ends and spring begins. However, it is technically possible to stand an egg on end any day of the year, as long as you have a lot of patience.

Nouruz, the Iranian or Persian New Year, is linked to the spring equinox. It has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions, according to the United Nations.

When is the next solstice and equinox?

Those impatient for the start of summer will have to wait for the arrival of the Summer Solstice on Thursday, June 20. The autumn equinox, which marks the beginning of autumn, will be on Sunday, September 22. This year’s winter solstice falls on Saturday, December 21.