Conditions: Baltimore, Maryland, 03/28/2024 03:00:03 pm
Temperature

51°

Cloudy

39°

Dew Point
Relative Humidity

63%

Feels Like

51°

Wind (NW)

12mph

Air Pressure

29.95

Sun
Sun Rise

06:56 AM

Sun Set

07:26 PM

Day Length

12:30 Hours

Difference

2 min 34 sec gain

Moon
Moon Rise

11:05 PM

Moon Set

08:19 AM

Next: Last Quarter

Apr 01,2024

Moon Phase

Waning Gibbous

Climate
Average Low

37°

58°

Average High
Record Low

21°


(1982)

87°


(1945)
Record High
Conditions

Spring Equinox Already Beyond Equal Daylight Plus Rapidly Warming Weather

Season

Spring Beings March 20 2022

Technically the spring season begins today, but there are a few definitions of the season. Meteorological Spring begin on March 1, as the seasons are grouped in blocks of three full months. But today at 11:33 AM EDT on Sunday March 20, 2022 the direct rays of the sun will cross the equator. For the next 6 months will be focused in the northern hemisphere. This makes our daylight time longer than night, and the temperatures gradually get warmer as well.

In the post we will look at why we have already passed ‘equal’ daylight with a look at sun angles and refraction. Also, more importantly a look at the weather. While still can be crazy with snow, is rapidly warming with rapidly increasing daylight time and sun angle.

 

 

What is the Equinox?

There are a few ways of looking at this day.  First, it is the halfway point between the summer solstice and winter solstice.  Those are the days when the sun reaches its northern and southern most points in our sky each year. For the northern hemisphere, today marks the first day of spring, and a significant change drop in temperature.

If we plot the angle of the sun (as seen here), the Vernal Equinox is a day that has the angle halfway between the lowest point during the winter solstice (December 21) and highest point during the summer solstice (June 21).

 



 

Compare The Sun Angle Change In March

Sun Angles

Comparing the Mid Day Sun

 11.8º HIGHER IN THE SKY By the end of March

 

MARCH 1st  3-D

 

MARCH 31st 3-D

 

Daylight

Daylight is NOT equal with darkness on this day. I was taught that in grade school, but it is not correct. Actually, we already have more daylight than darkness. This is due to the light from the sun bending or refracting through Earth’s atmosphere. We see the sun BEFORE it would be visible through straight line of sight. This bending is also why the sun will appear more red or orange when it rises. Those longer wavelengths pass through the atmosphere first. The other colors bounce off.

 

 

This video may help the explanation. I love the enthusiasm of this narrator.

 

 

On Sunday, Baltimore will have 12 hours and 8 minutes and 42 seconds of daylight. That is due to the bending of light in our atmosphere. When the sun actually sets based on a straight line and curvature of our planet, the light actually bends around that curve. So we get a few extra minutes on the front and back end (sunrise and sunset).

  • March 17th: Our first day with over 12 hours of sunlight
  • +2 min 35 sec: The amount of additional daylight we get each day this week.

Compare Daylight:

  • March 20 ~ 12 hrs 09 min
  • March 31 ~ 12 hrs 37 min

We will GAIN 28 minutes more of daylight by the end of this month.

 



 

 

Balancing an Egg?

The word equinox sounds a lot like ‘equal’, and that is how it is often introduced in an earth science class. My physics teaching in High School tried to convince the lass that the equal force of the sun’s gravitational pull on the equator would allow an egg to stand on it’s end. Sadly, that is not true! It’s a demonstration I continue to see in both autumn and spring.

Last week during my visit to St Peter’s Christian School, Vivian Rumberger asked me about this. She said she does it every year, and can balance the eggs for a day. But when the day ends, they fall over. This is her photo and she swears by it. For fun, I will try this with my kids.

 

A friend of mine actually tried this many years ago on TV. Since he could not duplicate it, he used double sided tape.

 

Video From National Geographic

 

 

Temperatures Warming

The temperature are warming on average of about one degree every two days. Baltimore will gain an addition 4 degrees by the end of the month.

Average High On March 20th = 56ºF

Average High On March 31st = 60ºF

 

 

 

In April: temps jump from Average 61ºF on the 1st to 72ºF on the 30th!

 

 

CRAZY WEATHER

1990

HOT WEEK included two high records

  • 86ºF on the 12th and 
  • 85ºF on the 13th

 

THEN SNOW

  • 1.4″ Snow on the 24th

 

Spring Snow?

Yes, we can still get some snow in Baltimore, but I think many people are ready for that to end after a poor showing this winter.  However, Baltimore did get more than the average this month, the only above average snowfall month this seasons. The latest dates on the calendar with snow in Baltimore:

Largest Late Season Storm:

March 29 1942 – 21.9″ Snow

This ranks as the 7th ALL TIME largest snowfall on record!

 

Late Season Snow

Over 1 Inch

April 11 = 2 inches in 1894

 

Measurable Snow

April 28 = 0.1 inch in 1898

 

Falling Snow Observed

May 11 = Trace in 1951

 

 

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ALSO SEE

 

What is Faith in the Flakes: History of December 5th Snow

 

ALL FITF GEAR

 

 

 

FITF THUNDERSNOW

 

 

 

 

Winter Outlook Series:

My Call For Snowfall

 

 

Last Winter Recap: My Old Outlook And Your Grades Of My Storm Forecasts

Winter Weather Page – Lots of resources

 

 

Solar Cycle Increasing Sunspots Suggests More Snow

 

Comparing 4 Different Farmer’s Almanacs: Majority colder winter outlook than NOAA

 

NOAA Winter Outlook- But Read The Fine Print

 

Signals For Early Start To Winter In November

 

Winter Outlook Series: La Nina Double Dip

 

Nor’easters May Give Hint For Winter La Nina Pattern

 

Winter Folklore Checklist

 

 

 




Please share your thoughts, best weather pics/video, or just keep in touch via social media

Facebook: Justin Berk, Meteorologist

Twitter: @JustinWeather

Instagram: justinweather

 

 

*Disclaimer due to frequent questions:

I am aware there are some spelling and grammar typos. I have made a few public statements over the years, but if you are new here you may have missed it:

I have dyslexia, and found out at my second year at Cornell.  I didn’t stop me from getting my meteorology degree, and being first to get the AMS CBM in the Baltimore/Washington region. 

I do miss my mistakes in my own proofreading. The autocorrect spell check on my computer sometimes does an injustice to make it worse. 

All of the maps and information are accurate. The ‘wordy’ stuff can get sticky. 

There is no editor that can check my work when I need it and have it ready to send out in a newsworthy timeline. 

I accept this and perhaps proves what you read is really from me…

It’s part of my charm.

#FITF