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Digital News Report – Spring begins this March 20, 2011 with the Vernal Equinox. Vernal translates from Latin to mean Spring. The Equinox happens twice a year, once in the Fall and once in the Spring. The word Equinox translates from Latin words aequus which means equal and nox which translates to night. The location near the equator will have the most equal amount of daylight and nightime at this time.
When is the first day of spring 2011 in the US? The northern hemisphere of Earth is scheduled to have the first day of Spring on March 20, 2011. Spring may not feel like it everywhere, but at least there is a warming trend as we get more sunlight.
Gardeners will be gearing up to get ready to plant. If you are in the colder climates it is a good time to start your plants indoors for transplanting when it warms up enough.
By Victoria Brown
In spring the weather becomes warmer because of the tilt of the Earth. The Earth does not get closer to the sun in warmer weather. We are actually further from the sun in the summer than in the winter.
We are NOT getting closer to the sun………..the tilt of the earth on its axis causes seasons.
Hi Victoria,
The earth’s seasons are not caused by the earth’s distance from the sun but by it’s tilt. During the winter the earth Nothern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and as summer approaches the Northen Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, because those areas of our planet that fall between the tropics ( 20th north and south parallels) experience the least change in angle they experience little seasonal change.
Thus your closing comment “at least there is a warming trend as we get closer to the sun” is a misconception.
Nonsense! The equinox marks the mid-point of spring (which starts at Candlemas (2nd Feb), just as the solstices mark the midpoints of summer and winter (hence “midsummer solstice”) If spring really began at the equinox, it would be half the size of the other seasons. Does that make sense?
Thanks for pointing this out.