Depending on your religious affiliation or background, this can also mean the approach of Easter, Passover or Ramadan. And this season, parents can look forward to Mother's Day and Father's Day.
[Ads /]
Here's everything you need to know about the season change, along with dates to mark on your calendar.
Editor's note: The video in the media player above was used in a previous report.
When does spring officially begin?
Astronomical spring began at 5:24 p.m ET on Monday, March 20, 2023, in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the National Weather Service. This time also marked the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.
What holidays and dates should I mark on my calendar?
- Ramadan begins at sundown on Wednesday, March 22.
- Passover begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 5.
- Good Friday is Friday, April 7.
- Easter is Sunday, April 9.
- Orthodox Easter is Sunday, April 16.
- Eid al-Fitr begins at sundown on Friday, April 21.
- Earth Day is Saturday, April 22.
- Cinco de Mayo is Friday, May 5.
- Mother's Day is Sunday, May 14.
- Shavuot begins at sundown on Thursday, May 25.
- Memorial Day is Monday, May 29.
- Father's Day is Sunday, June 18.
- The first day of summer lands on Wednesday, June 21.
What is the vernal equinox?
"Equinox" derived from the Latin word meaning "equal night," according to AccuWeather.
During an equinox, the Earth is positioned with both its axis and its orbit perpendicular to the sun, allowing the sun's rays to aim directly at our planet's equator. As a result, both day and night are 12 hours long around the globe.
[Ads /]
The vernal, or spring, equinox was the first of two for the year: 2023's autumnal, or fall, equinox will occur at 2:50 a.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 23.
Conversely, solstices mark the most drastic time differences between night and day. In 2023, the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, happens at 10:58 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 21. The top half of the world will experience the shortest day of 2023 during the winter solstice at 10:27 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 21.
RELATED: Can you really balance an egg during the first day of spring?