The first day of spring in 2025 falls on Thursday, March 20, marking the vernal equinox. This event occurs at 5:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which corresponds to 2:31 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the same day.
The vernal equinox signifies the moment when the Sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north. On this day, day and night are approximately equal in length, with both lasting about 12 hours. Following the equinox, the Northern Hemisphere experiences progressively longer days and shorter nights, leading up to the summer solstice in June.
In meteorology, however, the first day of spring is defined as March 1, based on average temperature cycles. This convention divides the year into four seasons, each comprising three full months, making it easier to compare statistics across years.
Therefore, while the astronomical first day of spring in 2025 is March 20, meteorologists consider March 1 as the start of the spring season.