I'm sure you've noticed by now that the days are getting longer. It is especially obvious during the late-afternoon. In fact, today's sunrise and sunset times at Bridgeport are at 6:38 a.m. and 5:35 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, respectively. That's quite a difference from just over two months ago --- on the Winter Solstice --- when sunrise and sunset happened at 7:15 a.m. and 4:26 p.m., respectively.
Not only have we gained over an hour of daylight during the evening, but you may have also noticed that the Sun is much higher in the sky. Consider that on the first day of Winter, the Sun was positioned at 23 degrees and 26 minutes South of the celestial Equator. That's when the Sun is lowest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. However, by January 15, the Sun was located at 21 degrees and 16 minutes South of the celestial Equator.
Today, the Sun is located at nine degrees and 46 minutes South of the celestial Equator. The Sun will be at the celestial Equator on March 21, the first day of Spring, and then move higher above the Equator for the next three months. It will be located at 23 degrees and 26 minutes North of the celestial Equator on the first day of Summer.
The Sun's rays are becoming stronger every day, too. The average high and low temperatures today at Bridgeport are 41 and 27 degrees, respectively. The daily average high and low will climb to 49 and 34 degrees, respectively, by the first day of Spring. By April 15, the average high and low will be 57 and 40 degrees, respectively.
So, even though much colder air arrives this week along with some snow Wednesday morning, the days are getting longer, the Sun is higher in the sky, and the average daily temperatures are on the way up. This Saturday is also the first day of meteorological Spring, which runs from March 1 through May 31. Spring will be here before you know it.
Paul
