When does spring start? Here's when the equinox takes place

The Chicago area is less than a month into winter, but many residents may be curious on when spring starts later this year.

Astronomical winter began in the Northern Hemisphere on the afternoon of Dec. 21, 2024, meaning that we are just three weeks into the three-month season.

Here’s when spring begins later this year.

When is the spring equinox?

According to EarthSky, the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere will take place at 4:01 a.m. Central Daylight Time on Thursday, March 20.

On that date, there will be roughly equal amounts of daylight and nighttime hours, and the sun will cross over what is known as the “celestial equator,” meaning that it will continue to grow warmer in the Northern Hemisphere and days will continue growing longer until the summer solstice in June.

What milestones are coming up in terms of daylight hours?

According to Time and Date, Chicago will see its first sunset after 5 p.m. in a matter of weeks, with that milestone occurring on Jan. 28.

Three days later, Chicago will see more than 10 hours of daylight for the first time since the fall, with days continuing to grow longer.

By the end of February, the city will be getting more than 11 hours of daylight, and on March 9, Chicago will switch to daylight saving time, pushing sunset close to 7 p.m.

On the spring equinox, Chicago will actually already be past 12 hours of daylight, with the sun staying up for approximately 12 hours and 10 minutes as the city gains nearly three minutes of daylight per day.

What could the weather be like?

According to the National Weather Service, the average high temperature on March 20 in the city of Chicago is just under 49 degrees, with the average low crawling above the freezing mark for the first time of the year.

By the end of March, the average temperature will be into the low-50s.

from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/DfA6XqG