As the cold days slowly get away (let's hope), all people are dreaming of spring and summer with more sun. We're officially at the end of winter, but when does the real spring and warm weather begin? When will we touch it, finally?
When does spring start?
How the first day of spring is determined depends on the determination of the astronomical or meteorological seasons. This year, the spring will be between March 20 and June 20, given the astronomical method. But it starts a little earlier, between March 1 and May 31, if we follow the meteorological calendar.
How is the first spring date set?
According to the Met Office, meteorological seasons are based on the annual cycle of temperatures and atmospheric conditions. Even the meteorological seasons are coordinated in three seasons. Use of this system determines: Spring (March, April, May), Summer (June, July, August), Autumn (September, October, November) and Winter (December, January, February). With this system, spring begins on March 1 and ends on May 31.
But why do spring dates change every year?
Other systems use astronomical seasons. Referring to the position of the Earth's orbit with respect to the calculation of equinoxes (when the day length is exactly the same as the night length) and the solstice (the longest and shortest days of the year), the true spring begins after the 20th March.
The astronomical calendar defines the seasons when the Earth's rotational axis is 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun. So according to this system, for the year 2020, spring begins on Friday, March 20, and ends on Saturday, June 20 (ie full 111 days).
However, whether spring comes on March 1 or March 20 depends more on everyone's preference for the calendar system.
