WEST MICHIGAN — It felt like Spring for much of last week, with 7 days in a row of above average temperatures! Technically Sunday was above average as well, but the high occurred around 1 a.m. and then temperatures fell consistently through the day.
Meteorological spring started March 1. But astronomical spring starts this Thursday, March 20 at 5:01 AM EDT. The sun rises at 7:45 AM and sets at 7:55 PM, giving us almost exactly 12 hours of daylight!
Meteorological seasons are different than astronomical seasons, in that they are grouped together for data keeping purposes. Meteorological winter is December 1 through February 28/29, Spring March 1 through May 31, Summer June 1 through August 31, and Fall September 1 through November 30.
Astronomical seasons are determined by the tilt of Earth's axis and the amount of daylight that occurs during that day, and is typically what people mean when they're talking about "the seasons".
The Vernal (Spring) equinox is usually around March 20-22, depending on the year. During an equinox, all parts of the Earth receive (nearly) equal amounts of daylight and night. The Autumnal (Fall) equinox is the same.
This happens because of the tilt of Earth's axis. During an equinox, each half of the Earth (day and night) are aimed at the sun equally. This is a "neutral" tilt.
As the Earth progresses around its orbit throughout the year, the tilt of the Earth changes and the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive different amounts of daylight vs. nighttime.
In the Northern Hemisphere where the United States is located, the Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. The Earth is tilted as far away as possible from the Sun. Days get longer after the Winter Solstice passes, until the Summer Solstice. The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and is when the Earth is tilted toward the sun at a maximum angle, giving us the most possible daylight.
Of course, the temperature trend doesn't always follow cues from the seasons. March is notoriously a roller coaster month, and there is no exception for us here in West Michigan! The 6-10 day outlook favors equal chances of above average or below average temperatures in West Michigan (below) while the 8-14 day outlook favors below average temperatures overall.
For the latest details on the weather in West Michigan, head to the FOX 17 Weather page.
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