Spring 2024: Why the First Day of Spring Is Starting Earlier This Year

Spring, a beautiful season, starts earlier in 2024, which is the reaon?  

As per the National Weather Service, spring is set to commence a little earlier than usual this year, with the vernal equinox for the northern hemisphere scheduled for March 19 at 11:06 p.m. ET. This is a deviation from the typical shift on Mar. 20th or 21st, prompting curiosity about this early start to the season. So, why the shift in schedule for spring's arrival in 2024?

The Leap Year Phenomenon

The reason behind the early commencement of spring in 2024 is attributed to it being a leap year. The occurrence of leap years is due to the Earth's rotation and its orbital pattern. While a year is traditionally considered to be 365 days, the Earth actually takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds – or 365.2422 days – to complete a full orbit around the sun, according to NASA. These extra hours accumulate and are typically adjusted in the calendar; however, every four years, an additional day is added to February to prevent a misalignment between the calendar and the seasons. Without this adjustment, the accumulation of extra hours over time would lead to shifts in the timing of seasons. Consequently, leap years cause the first day of spring to occur earlier than usual.

Impact of Leap Years

In 2020, another leap year, the first day of spring also fell on Mar. 19, with the vernal equinox happening at 11:50 p.m. This was the earliest onset of spring since 1896. However, in 2024, the vernal equinox is scheduled to occur even earlier, at 11:06 p.m. ET, meaning that all time zones in the continental U.S. will usher in the first day of spring on the 19th – at 10:06 p.m. in the Central Time Zone, 9:06 p.m. in the Mountain Time Zone, and 8:06 p.m. in the Western Time Zone.

Future Spring Onset

Looking ahead, the next leap year in 2028 will also see spring commence on March 19. Subsequently, spring will continue to start earlier in the calendar year every leap year until 2103. In 2025, which is not a leap year, the spring equinox will occur on Mar. 20 at 5:01 a.m. PT, and in 2026, it is set to occur on Mar. 20 at 10:46 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Understanding the Spring Equinox

The occurrences of spring and fall are marked by an equinox, which translates to "equal night" in Latin. During the vernal equinox, which symbolizes the onset of spring for the northern hemisphere, the southern hemisphere experiences the autumnal equinox, signifying the beginning of fall for that part of the world.

The autumnal equinox for the northern hemisphere typically takes place on Sept. 22 or 23, while the solstices, which denote summer and winter, occur when the Earth reaches the greatest angles of its axis. The summer solstice takes place on June 20 or 21 in the northern hemisphere since this region is tilted toward the sun, while the opposite occurs on Dec. 21 or 22 with the winter solstice.

Meteorological Spring

While the astronomical seasons follow the equinoxes and solstices, meteorologists use a different system for delineating the seasons. For weather forecasters, spring commences on March 1, aligning with the typical onset of spring-like weather in most areas. Subsequently, meteorological summer begins on June 1, meteorological fall on Sept. 1, and meteorological winter on Dec. 1, ensuring a more uniform duration for each season. Contrarily, the astronomical seasons have varying lengths, with spring lasting 92.771 days, summer 93.641 days, fall 89.834 days, and winter 88.994 days, according to the Old Farmers' Almanac.

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