Ready for spring in California? Here’s when winter officially ends and warmer weather arrives
Are you ready for winter to be over?
Spring officially starts in less than a month, which means longer days and shorter nights are coming soon to California.
The spring equinox marks the start of the season in the Northern Hemisphere and the return of warmer temperatures to the Golden State.
Here’s what to know about the change of seasons:
When is the first day of spring?
The 2025 spring equinox lands on Thursday, March 20, at 2:01 a.m., according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
What is the vernal equinox?
The vernal equinox signals the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
During the March equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere receive roughly the same amount of sunlight since neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the sun, the almanac said.
The Latin word “equinox” translates to “equal night” in English.
“On the equinox, the length of day and night is nearly equal in all parts of the world,” the almanac said.
The first day of spring typically falls on March 19, 20, or 21, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
However, the vernal equinox won’t fall on March 21 until 2101.
Once spring begins, the Northern Hemisphere will see more sun than the Southern Hemisphere.
California will experience longer days and shorter nights up until the summer solstice on Friday, June 20, the longest day of the year.
How much more sunlight will California get?
The arrival of spring means more light in the mornings and evenings.
Every day leading up to and following the spring equinox, California gains roughly 2 minutes and 30 seconds of additional sunlight, according to Time and Date, an online global clock.
Sunrise times become earlier and sunset times become gradually later each day.
When is daylight saving time?
On Sunday, March 9, clocks “spring forward” an hour due to daylight saving time, giving Californians an additional hour of sunlight.
According to Time and Date, on Thursday, March 20, the start of the spring equinox, the sun will rise at 7:08 a.m. in Sacramento and set at 7:18 p.m.
Will the weather get warmer in California?
Warmer temperatures usually return to Northern California after the spring equinox begins.
“Spring is also the time when the cold of winter begins to give way to warmer weather,” Time and Date said.
Northern California has “equal chances” of seeing above-normal or below-normal temperatures in March, April and May, according to the long-range forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.
Temperatures in parts of Southern California will likely trend above normal, the Climate Prediction Center said.
This story was originally published March 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Ready for spring in California? Here’s when winter officially ends and warmer weather arrives."
