Vernal Equinox: Spring begins March 20, 2021

Catherine Boeckmann, 3/18/21, The Old Farmer's Almanac (almanac.com); Wisdom Quarterly

In 2021 the spring equinox occurs on Saturday, March 20. This event marks the astronomical first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

• What does equinox mean?
• What happens on the equinox?
• What determines the first day of spring?
  

WHAT IS THE SPRING EQUINOX?

In the Northern Hemisphere the March equinox (a.k.a. spring or vernal equinox) occurs when the sun crosses the equator line, heading north. This event marks the start of spring in the northern half of the globe model.

After this date the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt more toward the sun, resulting in increasing daylight hours and warming temperatures. (In the Southern Hemisphere it’s the opposite: the March equinox marks the start of autumn, as the Southern Hemisphere begins to tilt away from the sun).

• What sort of weather will spring bring? Check out The Old Farmer's Almanac Spring Forecast to find out!

WHEN IS THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING?

In 2021, the March equinox happens on Saturday, March 20, at 5:37 AM EDT, so that in the Northern Hemisphere, this date marks the start of the season of spring.

In the Southern Hemisphere the March equinox marks the start of autumn, while the September equinox marks the start of spring.

SPRING EQUINOX DATES AND TIMES

Year Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)

• 2021 Saturday, March 20, at 5:37 A.M. EDT
• 2022 Sunday, March 20, at 11:33 A.M. EDT
• 2023 Monday, March 20, at 5:24 P.M. EDT
• 2024 Tuesday, March 19, at 11:06 P.M. EDT

WHAT DOES SPRING “EQUINOX” MEAN, EXACTLY?

The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night” — aequus (equal) and nox (night). More