The weather is getting warmer, the days are growing longer, and nature is waking up. Spring has already arrived. When it starts depends on the definition.
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| Spring in Germany 2023 |
Snowdrops, crocus, winter acorn, and hazel are all in full bloom, while forsythia is beginning to blossom in certain areas. Spring has arrived in nature, as well as for meteorologists. Spring always begins on March 1st for them. Because meteorology splits the year into four seasons of equal duration in order to statistically evaluate weather and climate data across longer time periods.
Calendar spring in 2023 begins on March 20th
The calendar start of spring occurs a few weeks after the meteorological start of spring. It is determined by the sun's position and does not always occur on the same day in March. When the sun is squarely above the equator, the calendar or astronomical spring starts. Day and night are of equal length at the equinox. The sun's zenith then travels from south to north. The days are growing longer and the temperatures are rising in the northern hemisphere. Calendar spring will begin in the northern hemisphere this year on March 20, 2023 at 10:24 p.m. Central European Time. In other years, the first day of spring may fall on March 21st or March 19th.
The phenological spring: the hazel shows the beginning
In addition to the meteorological and calendar beginnings of spring, there is an undefined phenological spring. Phenology is a branch of meteorology that studies the growth and development of plants and animals. The phenological calendar distinguishes ten seasons, beginning with early spring, first spring, and full spring, and continuing through early summer to winter.
Nature's seasons are indicated by so-called indicator plants. The hazel flower, for example, signals the arrival of spring, as does the snowdrop. The blossoming forsythia, on the other hand, is a traditional symbol of the first spring. This also applies to the gooseberry when its first leaves emerge. The apple blossom heralds the arrival of spring.
Grassland temperature marks agro-meteorological spring
Nature gradually emerges from its slumber and follows a predetermined order. Using the so-called sum of grassland temperatures, agrometeorologists may predict which plants will develop or blossom. It is used to identify the start of field labor in Central Europe, but it is also of interest to garden enthusiasts.
The computation includes all positive daily mean temperatures since January 1st. The monthly weighted average is multiplied by a factor of 0.5 in January and 0.75 in February. The whole value is included in the computation in March. When the grassland temperature hits 200 degrees, the soil has warmed sufficiently for nature to begin growing sustainably and notably greener.