It’s spring, finally
Sunny and breezy, then rain this week
It’s the week many of us have long dreamed of: SPRING IS FINALLY HERE!
The first week of spring is expected to start off pleasant with sunny skies and temps in the 50s, along with some blustery wind gusts in the 30 mph range.
The dry and sunny weather should continue for the first half of the week before some wet weather moves in late Wednesday night into Thursday.
“It should be pretty quiet to start with above-normal temperatures for Monday and Tuesday, and about normal for Wednesday,” said Alan Dunham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office. “Then on Thursday, it should be raining all day.”
While the system looks to bring mainly rain to the area, a brief period of wintry mix is possible north of the Mass Pike Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service forecast discussion.
Sunday marked the first day of astronomical spring.
“Today is the official start of Spring: the Spring/Vernal Equinox!” the National
Weather Service tweeted. “11:33 AM Eastern this morning marked the time when the day-to-night line, called the terminator, was perfectly vertical from pole to pole. #SpringEquinox #FirstDayOfSpring.
“The Vernal Equinox is also a day of the year when day and night are most nearly equal everywhere on earth,” the National Weather Service added. “There will be more daylight than nighttime each day now, until the Fall/Autumnal Equinox in September.”
The National Weather Service’s Boston office gave a preview for how temps and sunlight drastically change through the spring season.
On March 20, the average high temp is 46 degrees and the sun rises at 6:46 a.m., while sunset is 6:57 p.m. Then by the first day of summer on June 20, the average high temp jumps to 78 degrees and sunrise is much earlier at 5:07 a.m., while sunset is quite later at 8:24 p.m.
“Happy Spring, Southern New England!” the National Weather Service’s Boston office tweeted. “Here’s a look at how average temperatures, sunrises, and sunsets change through the season! Who is ready for those warmer temps and post-8pm sunsets?”