when does spring begin

Spring can “begin” on different dates depending on which definition you use, but for most calendars it starts in March in the Northern Hemisphere and September in the Southern Hemisphere.

Two main definitions

• Astronomical spring :
  • Starts at the spring (vernal) equinox , when day and night are roughly equal length.

* In the **Northern Hemisphere** , this usually falls on **March 19–21** each year (for 2026 it is March 20, 2026, at about 10:46 a.m. EDT).

* In the **Southern Hemisphere** , astronomical spring begins around **September 22–23**.

• Meteorological spring :
  • Uses fixed calendar months for climate and statistics.

* Northern Hemisphere: **March 1 – May 31**.

* Southern Hemisphere: **September 1 – November 30**.

Quick examples

• If you’re in the US, Canada, or Europe , people often say spring begins either:
  • On March 1 (meteorological), or
  • On the spring equinox around March 20 (astronomical).

• If you’re in Australia or New Zealand , spring usually means September 1 by meteorological definition, with the equinox around September 22–23 marking the astronomical start.

A simple rule of thumb: calendars and weather services often use the 1st of the month, while astronomy and many cultural traditions use the equinox date.

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