Happy Spring? Snow is in the Forecast

Winter officially ended at 7:02 a.m. Wednesday, but that doesn't mean the cold and snow are gone.

Ice can still be found on local waterways, piles of snow remain around town and according to the National Weather Service, there will be a high of 33 Thursday with gusts of 21 miles per hour and up to a half-inch of snow may accumulate.

Contrast that with the weather from last year, when flowers were blooming and temperatures were near 80s. 

Welcome the vernal equinox

This year, spring officially started at 7:02 a.m. today, March 20.

The vernal equinox means that that are exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness in the Northern Hemisphere – the same as the autumnal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. That’s when the sun passes directly overhead at noon if you are standing on the equator.

The two equinoxes also see the sun rise due east and set due west during the year.

In spring, the axis of the Earth tilts toward the sun. That increases the number of daylight hours, which brings warmer weather and sprouts new growth.