First day of spring 2023

 Spring 2023: Is winter over or is not?

Today is the first official day of spring 2023, as the vernal equinox occurs at 4:24 p.m. CDT, which is when the sun passes directly over the equator, providing almost equal amounts of day and night across the globe. While the March equinox signifies the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of fall for those living south of the equator. Despite this, the equator experiences roughly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night during the equinox. However, even though today is the first day of spring, temperatures in Alabama will remain chilly, with highs only reaching the 50s statewide. Furthermore, freeze warnings will again be in effect for some parts of the state overnight. Astronomical seasons occur due to the Earth's axis tilt and its position during its orbit around the sun. On the other hand, meteorological seasons are grouped into three-month periods to aid in data analysis. The start of spring may be determined by the equinox, but meteorological spring began on March 1 and will persist until May 31. Additionally, for those in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun will set a bit further north on the horizon each evening until the June solstice when it reverses direction, moving southward. The sunset will occur later in the day until the summer solstice, which will take place on June 21. As for the weather, it is uncertain what the spring has in store.