Signs Of Spring ...

Peek-a-goose! Bright yellow daffodils start to bloom in early spring

In many areas of the UK these first few days of March has seen some sunshine and slightly warmer weather, which has been very welcome, definitely signs of Spring! Spring is the season when temperatures start to rise and beautiful flowers - including snowdrops, daffodils, and crocuses - begin to bloom again.

It's also when clocks 'spring forward', making our evenings much lighter.

But when does spring officially begin?

The answer isn't as straight-forward as you might think, as people can't agree on exactly when winter ends and spring starts.

Some people - including weather forecasters - prefer to go by meteorological spring, which starts on 1 March every year.

Other people prefer to go by astronomical spring, which is on 20 March in 2026, although the date can change each year due to the Earth's orbit around the Sun.

What is meteorological spring?

In meteorology - which is the science that studies the Earth's atmosphere, weather, and climate - the year is split into four seasons, each made up of three full months.

This stays the same every year, making it easier for people who study the weather to compare seasons from one year to the next.

The spring months are March, April and May - meaning the season begins on 1 March and lasts until 31 May every year.

This is different to astronomical spring, where the dates can change each year.

When does astronomical spring begin?

The astronomical calendar follows the dates of the two equinoxes that happen in March and September every year.

Astronomical spring follows the date of the spring equinox - the one that happens in March.

On the spring equinox, the Earth's axis isn't tilted either towards or away from the Sun like it usually is, making day and night nearly equal in length.

This year, astronomical spring falls on 20 March and will last until what's known as the summer solstice on 21 June.

During this period, the days will be longer than the nights.

The equinox happens at exactly the same time for everyone on the planet.

However, the seasons are reversed for people living in the southern hemisphere (south of the equator), meaning the equinox on 20 March is actually their first day of autumn.

Above words and image taken from article here

What's the weather like where you live?

Is it snowing, raining, too hot or too cold?

Please share in the comments.

 *I published this post then saw this weather news,

so I've edited the original one and re-posted *

A remarkable display is expected in the skies over the UK later this week as a vast plume of Saharan dust drifts north over much the country.

The dust, made up of fine sand and mineral particles lifted from the deserts of North Africa, will have travelled thousands of miles on warm southerly air currents.

As it moves across the UK, it is expected to transform ordinary sunrises and sunsets into striking displays of deep gold, amber, and burnt orange.

However, the downside of Saharan dust is that when it mixes with rain, it can leave dirty deposits on surfaces, particularly cars and windows, a phenomenon commonly known as blood rain.

Photo Credit John T and more to read here

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All the best Jan