Meteorological-wise each season is made up of three months, this makes it easier for statistics to be gathered and calculated, so although the Meteorological Spring starts on March 1st, official spring this year falls on 20th March. This date does not mean to say that the weather will turn spring-like on this day, in some years the spring flowers are buffeted by strong cold winds, cold rain, hail and sleet or snow showers with night time frosts. The British Spring is fickle and very unpredictable.

To best understand and define the Vernal Equinox, it helps to look at the translation of the words. Vernal means "spring." The literal translation of Equinox is " equal night." So, the Vernal Equinox is the day that marks the start of spring that has almost an equal amount of day and night.The Equinox occurs twice a year. It's when the sun crosses directly over the celestial equator and heads northward. The Vernal Equinox does not happen at the same time each year. It generally occurs six hours later each year, but falls back one day during leap years.In times gone by, the Equinoxes was the time in which seeds were planted and then harvested, the first of these being the Spring or Vernal Equinox around about the 20-21st March. As the sun rises higher in the sky and the temperature of the ground and air becomes warmer with longer days, Mother Nature stirs the countryside. All things living is touched by this transformation. Due to the second mildest winter on record, everything is about six weeks earlier this year.

Many flowers blooming well out of season, the bird animal and insect kingdom also stirring much earlier due to the very mild conditions.Soon, our woodlands will be carpeted by a mass of blue as the bluebells burst forth, and everywhere the signs of new life will surround us. The warmth of the sun caressing the landscape, the sound of the cuckoo will echo through the forest glade and valleys, it reassures us that spring has begun. The foxglove and wild grasses will sway in the warmth of a spring day. All around us, we see the countryside being transformed as the bareness of the winter season gives way to spring with colourful bloom running riot within our gardens and across the British countryside, but with the occasional cold north/north-west breeze, bring the characteristic April blusters and showers complete with glorious rainbows which stretch across the heavens enhancing the skyscape.

Next Week

Typical Spring Weather of March, April, May.

The Answer to last weeks question was:
Cumulonimbus Cloud.

This weeks question of the week:

What does Vernal mean:

a/ Spring

b/ Autumn

c/ Winter

Glossary of Common Weather Terms

Anticyclone: An area of high pressure or subsiding air bringing settled weather, but it can bring frost and fog during autumn,winter and early spring.

Cloud Type of the Week: Altostratus (As): Blue-grey layer thick enough to hide the sun, very uniform. (as can be seen in my photograph of Altostratus). Height of base 6,500 ft to 23,000 ft.

Often runs ahead of a warm front bringing wind and rain.

Weather for the week ahead.

West to south-west winds from off the Atlantic bringing very varied weather across the area over the coming week. Dry bright spells with sunshine alternating with rain or showers at times and gusty blustery March Winds. Very mild for the time of year with no real wintry weather about. Soil temperatures on the rise.

Day temperature maximum ranging 9-14c 48-57f. Night temperature minimum ranging 2-6c 36-43f.