Many spring buds may have already broken free from the soil, but the meteorological season officially starts today!

You may be thinking that spring doesn't start until later in March, and you wouldn't be wrong! Two separate dates can be used to define the start of the season.

Astronomically, the start of spring occurs on the spring equinox, when the length of day and night is the same in all parts of the world. It is defined by Earth's axis and orbit around the Sun, and the exact date varies slightly each year. This year, the spring equinox falls on March 20, 2026, with the astronomical spring running until June 21, 2026.

For meteorologists in the northern hemisphere, spring begins on March 1, 2026. It is a fixed date because it is statistically easier to process the data by taking four equal quarters for each of the four seasons. Meteorological spring is made up of March, April, and May.

While the days are getting warmer and longer for us, the opposite is true for those in the southern hemisphere. For them, today marks the start of the meteorological autumn.

Although it is still chilly for many over the next few weeks, the longer daylight hours allow us to ready our yards, homes, and gardens for the coming warmer months! Happy meteorological spring!