The official start of spring for 2023 has arrived today, marked by the vernal equinox occurring at 4:24 p.m. CDT, which is the moment when the sun passes directly over the equator, resulting in nearly equal amounts of day and night across the Earth, as confirmed by NASA. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates the first day of spring, while those south of the equator experiences the beginning of fall. At the equator, an equinox leads to about 12 hours of both daylight and night. Despite this, Alabama’s weather forecast for today predicts chilly temperatures in the 50s with freeze warnings in effect for part of the state at night.
While the equinox is commonly considered the official start of spring, meteorological spring began on March 1 and lasts until May 31. Meteorological seasons are typically grouped into three-month periods for data calculation. According to NASA, astronomical seasons are influenced by the tilt of Earth’s axis and its position during its orbit around the Sun.
For those in the Northern Hemisphere, sunsets will continue to occur later in the day until the June solstice, when the sun will reverse direction and move back to the south. NOAA’s spring outlook suggests that Alabama may experience warmer-than-average temperatures and near-average rainfall in the coming months, along with blooming plants and pollen. However, this season also indicates an increased period for severe weather activity in Alabama, with the busiest months for tornadoes typically occurring in March and April.
