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what day is the first day of spring

The first day of spring (in the Northern Hemisphere, using the astronomical definition) is the spring equinox , which falls on March 20 in most recent and upcoming years, including 2026 (Friday, March 20, 2026).

What day is the first day of spring?

There are two common ways people define “what day is the first day of spring”:

  1. Astronomical spring (most common modern use)
    • Starts at the spring equinox , when the Sun crosses the celestial equator heading north.
 * In many recent years, that date is **March 20** in the Northern Hemisphere.

 * In **2026** , the first day of spring is **Friday, March 20** , at about **10:46 a.m. EDT** (14:46 UTC).
  1. Meteorological spring (used by climatologists)
    • Defined by calendar months: March 1 – May 31 in the Northern Hemisphere.
 * Here, the “first day of spring” is simply **March 1**.

So if someone asks “what day is the first day of spring,” the astronomical answer is usually March 20 (the equinox), while the meteorological answer is March 1.

Why the date can change

Historically, many people were taught that the first day of spring is March 21 , but that’s not always correct.

  • Due to Earth’s elliptical orbit and leap years , the equinox can fall on March 19, 20, or 21.
  • For example, the first day of spring in 2024 fell on March 19, the earliest in about 128 years.
  • Calendar references now list March 20 as the official start of spring for all time zones in North America in 2026.

A sample of upcoming astronomical spring start dates (Northern Hemisphere):

  • 2026: Friday, March 20, 10:46 a.m. EDT
  • 2027: Saturday, March 20, 4:24 p.m. EDT
  • 2028: Sunday, March 19, 10:18 p.m. EDT
  • 2029: Tuesday, March 20 (a.m., EDT)
  • 2030: Wednesday, March 20, 6:51 a.m. EDT

Quick forum-style takeaway

On most calendars and astronomy sites, the first day of spring (Northern Hemisphere) is the March equinox , landing on March 20 in 2026. If you go by meteorological seasons, some folks will say spring starts March 1 instead.

TL;DR:

  • Astronomical first day of spring: March 20 (equinox; March 20, 2026 in the Northern Hemisphere).
  • Meteorological first day of spring: March 1 (by month-based climate definition).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.