Spring

Happy vernal equinox.    

The astronomical arrival of spring is a consequence of the earth’s tilt on its axis as it orbits around the sun.  

Equinox from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night) means the the earth’s two hemispheres are receiving the sun’s rays equally.  Night and day are approximately equal in length.  As you observe the movement of the sun across the sky each day you will note that it is shifting toward the north.  Birds and butterflies begin their northward migration as a response to this change in daylight following the path of the sun.  

From a meteorological point of view the first day of spring is March 1.  Meteorologists split the year into quarters for purposes of cataloging and comparing/contrasting seasonal and monthly statistics from one year to the next. These meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles rather than on the position of Earth in relation to the Sun.  Moreover, they more closely follow the Gregorian calendar.  

Because the dates corresponding to the astronomical equinoxes and solstices vary from time to time and as a consequence would create a problem comparing statistics year over year.

Mud season commenced on March 1.