Vernal Equinox Arrives in Time for Spring Warmup

Today is the last full day of Winter. However, Old Man Winter packed his bags and departed quite some time ago. A big-time warmup is expected this week, just in time for the Vernal Equinox. Spring officially arrives in the northern hemisphere tomorrow morning at 1:14 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. The days will only get longer for the next three months.

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 as far as snow is concerned? Officially, just a little more than a foot of snow (13.6") fell at Sikorsky Airport in Stratford. That's exactly a foot below the normal of 25.6" through this date. Last year, though, nearly five feet (59.4") of snow fell, making it one of the most memorable in recent history. Most of the snow fell from late December through January. Two years ago, we measured over three feet (38.1") of snow. What a difference a year makes.



Our Springlike weather will continue through much of the week. Today will become mostly sunny and mild with a high temperature in the lower 70s inland and 60s along the immediate shoreline. The record high is 67 degrees set in 2010. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with patchy fog and a possible shower with lows in the 40s. Tomorrow will become sunny and mild with highs in the 60s. The two warmest days this week will be Wednesday and Thursday.



Happy Spring!

Paul