Have you got a Spring in your step?

It could be because its the Astronomical first day of spring soon! So, when does spring 2024 start?

The date of the first day of spring depends on whether you are using the meteorological or astronomical definition of the seasons.

The simpler and perhaps more commonly followed of the two is the meteorological system.

This splits the year into four seasons of three full months each based on the Gregorian calendar, which makes it easier to compare seasonal and monthly statistics.

So every year spring begins on 1 March (a Friday in 2024) and continues through April until 31 May, with summer then starting on 1 June.

The astronomical season is less straightforward – it depends on the date of the spring equinox which means the date comes later and can vary slightly from year to year.

In 2024, the spring equinox takes place on Wednesday 20 March.

This is the most common date for the phenomenon by some distance, although it can fall any time between the 19th and 21st of the month.

The astronomical spring then lasts until the arrival of the summer solstice, which in 2024 is on Thursday 20 June at 21.51 BST.

Enjoy the spring in your step today, or was it on 1 March 2024?