Spring: March equinox brings longer days

Spring is right around the corner – one day around the corner to be exact. 

This year the spring equinox occurs on March 20. It marks the first day of spring and hopefully warmer weather, but that's unlikely this year in Cincinnati. 

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Twice a year, around March 20 or 21 and September 22 or 23, the sun's most direct rays shine on the equator, according to the Weather Channel. Those are the days of the spring and fall equinox. 

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"The Earth tilts at an angle of 23.5 degrees on its axis relative to its plane of orbit around the sun," History Channel said. "An equinox occurs at the moment when the Earth’s axis doesn’t tilt toward or away from the sun."

The day of the equinox is also the only time when the sun truly rises due east and sets due west," History Channel said. 

One reason the date changes is that a year does not have an even number of days and so neither do the seasons, the Farmer's Almanac said. 

You're not imagining it, spring is getting shorter. The Farmer's Almanac also said due to the uneven years, spring is reduced by about one minute a year, but summer gains that minute.  Luckily, winter also loses about half a minute a year, which is gained by fall.