Is Winter Over?

That depends on who you ask! An astronomer will tell you (so will your calendar) that winter doesn't end until March 20th: The first day of astronomical spring. At this time, the sun's rays shine directly over the equator, signaling that the sun's most direct rays will continue to migrate further into the northern hemisphere.

If you ask a meteorologist or climatologist, you'll be told that spring starts today, March 1st! That's because, climatologically, December, January, and February are the three coldest months of the year in most places. March is warmer than any of these other three months, and grouping all of March's days into the "spring" category makes it simpler for record-keeping.

Solar Winter, as shown in the illustration above, includes the three months with the least amount of daylight hours: November, December, and January.