Spring Officially Arrives This Sunday

Tomorrow is the last full day of Winter. Spring officially arrives this Sunday at 7:21 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. That's the time when the direct rays of the Sun pass over the Equator, technically creating "equal day and equal night" over the face of the Earth. Actually, yesterday, March 17, we experienced exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. The days will only get longer for the next three months. I don't know about you, but after this Winter, I'm counting the minutes until the Vernal Equinox.

I've always observed the change of seasons with more reverence and awe than New Year's Eve. After all, the beginning of a new year is an arbitrary date which can actually be recognized just about any time during the year. However, an equinox or a solstice is a much more meaningful "event" and can be explained astronomically. The time is exact and changes every year although, for the most part, the date doesn't vary much.

The change of seasons is due to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth's axis. Because of the tilt, we receive the Sun's rays most directly in the Summer. In the Winter, when we are tilted away from the Sun, the rays pass through the atmosphere at a greater slant, bringing lower temperatures. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would not have seasons.

Now that Winter is just about in our rear-view mirror, how did we fare over the last three months as far as snow is concerned? Officially, just about five feet of snow (59.4") fell at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. That's more than three feet above the normal (22.9") through this date and well above last year's total of 38.1" of snow. Most of the snow fell from late December through January. Snowfall was well below the record of 78 inches, which was set in the Winter of 1995-96.

Our Springlike weather will continue for at least one more day. Today will feature a mix of sun and clouds with high temperatures reaching the upper 60s inland and close to 60 degrees along the immediate shoreline. It will be quite windy, though. The record high temperature for this date is 68 degrees, established in 1999. A cold front will pass late tonight and early tomorrow with a threat of a brief shower or sprinkle. Tomorrow will become mostly sunny and much cooler with highs close to 50.

Happy Spring!

Paul