From the Farmer’s Alamanac

On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, at 12:15 p.m. EDT, we welcome the official arrival of spring with the Vernal Equinox. This is the moment in the Northern Hemisphere when the Sun crosses the equator and the days and nights are equal in hours.

What Does Vernal Equinox Mean?

Vernal translates to “new” and “fresh,” and equinox derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night). Regardless of what the weather is doing outside, this day is the official start of the spring season.

So what does that mean? Essentially, our hours of daylight — the period of time each day between sunrise and sunset — have been growing slightly longer each day since the Winter Solstice in December, which is the shortest day of the year (at least in terms of light). Even after three months of lengthening days, though, we still see less light than darkness over the course of a day. The Vernal Equinox marks the turning point, when daylight begins to win out over darkness.

Spring has sprung! And while most of us are familiar with “April showers bring May flowers,” there are many weather folklore sayings associated with spring, which is a season notorious for wild, crazy weather. Have you heard any of these?

March

• Is’t on St. Joseph’s day (19th) clear,
  So follows a fertile year;
  Is’t on St. Mary’s (25th) bright and clear,
  Fertile is said to be the year.

April

• If it thunders on All Fool’s Day, it brings good crops of corn and hay.
• A cold May and a windy April, a full barn.
• March’ll search ye, April try ye; May’ll tell, whether live or die ye.
• If the oak is out before the ash then we are in for a splash;
  But if the ash is out before the oak we are in for a soak.
• April cold and wet fills barn and barrel.
• When April blows its horn
  Then it stands good with hay, rye, and corn.
• A cold and moist April fills the cellar and fattens the cow