Spring Things

With high temperatures this week running 5-10 degrees above average, Spring things are on many of our minds, from watching the first bulbs rise out of the previously snow-covered ground, to the pleasantly mild afternoons prompting Richmonders to seek leisure outdoors. Even with a high of only 61 degrees on Sunday, I saw plenty of ice cream shops packed (and I was one of them rebelling against the final days of Winter, too)! The first Spring thing to note is that Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend. "Spring Forward" your clocks one hour at 2 a.m. this Sunday morning.
Next is the "official" start of Spring, which begins at 1:32 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday, March 20. The start of Spring is defined by the Vernal Equinox ("Ver" from Latin meaning "spring," and "aequus" and "nox" combined to mean "equal night"), which is when (from our perspective on Earth) the Sun's incident solar rays are most directed at the Equator.

Earth is tilted at 23.44 degrees relative to its orbital plane, which means that as our planet orbits around the Sun throughout the year, the Sun's incident rays hit different parts of the Earth more directly.

(Image: NASA)

Thus, the Earth has seasons! Here's the perspective from Earth: