At a Glance
- "Meteorological spring" begins March 1.
- Average temperatures will steadily increase until then, and days will also grow longer.
If you're one of the many people sick of snow and cold temperatures by this point in the winter, remember that "meteorological spring" begins in just one short month.
The official start to spring may not be until March 20, with the vernal equinox at 6:29 a.m. EDT, but meteorologists break down the seasons into groups of three months, based on the annual temperature cycle around the globe. Meteorological spring runs from March 1 to May 31 every year, whereas the vernal equinox can occur on either March 20 or 21.
(MORE: Why Seasons Aren't the Same to Meteorologists as the Rest of Us)
Yes, it's probably still going to be periodically cold and snowy during this final month of meteorological winter, but you will likely notice a few improvements in your local weather.
Longer Days Ahead
The shortest day of the year was back in December on the winter solstice. Days have been slowly growing longer since then, and the pace will be increased through February and into March, making the day-to-day changes a bit more noticeable.
Below is a table of sunset times for select cities on Feb. 1 vs. March 1.
| City | Feb. 1 Sunset | March 1 Sunset |
| Boston | 4:59 p.m. | 5:35 p.m. |
| New York | 5:14 p.m. | 5:47 p.m. |
| Washington D.C. | 5:30 p.m. | 6:01 p.m. |
| Chicago | 5:06 p.m. | 5:41 p.m. |
| St. Louis | 5:23 p.m. | 5:54 p.m. |
| Atlanta | 6:09 p.m. | 6:34 p.m. |
| Dallas-Ft. Worth | 6:00 p.m. | 6:25 p.m. |
| Denver | 5:20 p.m. | 5:52 p.m. |
| San Francisco | 5:34 p.m. | 6:04 p.m. |
| Seattle | 5:11 p.m. | 5:55 p.m. |
Many cities in the northern half of the Lower 48 gain 30 to 45 minutes of daylight in the evening over the next month, while sunrises are also getting earlier and providing more daylight in the morning. By the vernal equinox on March 20, most places will have about 12 hours of total daylight since the Earth's equator will be aligned directly with the sun.
Don't forget, clocks "spring forward" during the pre-dawn hours of March 12 as Daylight Saving Time returns, bringing an extra hour of daylight in the evening. So if you think a 6:01 p.m. sunset sounds nice in Washington D.C. on March 1, it'll be well after 7 p.m. less than two weeks later.
Average Temperatures On The Increase
The coldest time of year, on average, has now passed; high and low temperatures will progressively increase from here. Below-average temperatures may still occur at times, but average days will be generally milder than average days a month ago, and they will only get warmer.
(MORE: U.S. Has Passed Coldest Time of Year)
Below is a table of average highs for select cities on Feb. 1 and March 1.
| City | Feb. 1 Avg. High | March 1 Avg. High |
| Boston | 36 degrees | 42 degrees |
| New York | 39 degrees | 45 degrees |
| Washington D.C. | 44 degrees | 51 degrees |
| Chicago | 32 degrees | 40 degrees |
| St. Louis | 41 degrees | 50 degrees |
| Atlanta | 54 degrees | 60 degrees |
| Dallas-Ft. Worth | 58 degrees | 64 degrees |
| Denver | 44 degrees | 50 degrees |
| San Francisco | 58 degrees | 61 degrees |
| Seattle | 49 degrees | 52 degrees |
Many cities see their average high increase by 5 degrees or more over the next month, and this is partially due to the longer days allowing extra time for the sun to do its job.
The February sun is stronger than the December and January sun, so snow might melt on a sunny day, even if temperatures are well below freezing. This is because the sun angle is higher as the Earth tilts on its axis, with the most direct sunlight reaching the equator by the vernal equinox.
(MORE: Winter Misery Index: Who's Had It the Worst?)
Spring Temperature Outlook
The latest spring outlook from The Weather Company, an IBM Business, looks promising for those ready to jump into the next season.
March-May 2017 Temperature Outlook
The three-month period of March through May looks likely to feature above-average temperatures in portions of the South, and no areas are currently forecast to see below-average temperatures.
(MORE: Spring 2017 Temperature Outlook)
If that weren't enough, baseball fans can rejoice – pitchers and catchers report for spring training in just a couple of weeks, a sure sign that spring is right around the corner.
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: The Vernal Equinox
