All change on the Spring Equinox
Paul Hudson
Every year there鈥檚 a debate about when Spring officially starts.
听
Meteorologically it鈥檚 always the 1st of March, an artificial classification to allow easy year-on-year comparisons.
听
But the true definition of Spring is when the sun is directly above the equator as it moves into the northern hemisphere.
听
This year the sun is above the equator at 4.57pm today, the 20th of March.
听
And it is coinciding with quite a change to our weather.
听
A cold front is currently moving southwards across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, bringing a spell of rain followed by a colder showery regime with a risk of frost at night.
听
Some of the showers in the next few days may turn wintry at times, with a risk of hail and thunder, although there will be plenty of sunshine and dry weather in-between.
听
But despite this return to colder, more unsettled conditions, it鈥檚 still far better than the weather we endured this time last year.
听
In fact March 2013 turned out to be the coldest and snowiest for decades.