Unsettled Weather in the Eastern U.S. through Memorial Day

Showers and thunderstorms are expected from Texas to the Northeast through Tuesday. Heavy rain will create mainly localized areas of flash flooding across the central Gulf Coast into the Appalachians. Elevated to Critical fire weather conditions due to gusty winds and low humidity are expected through Tuesday across Oregon and Nevada. Showers and thunderstorms will develop over the Northwest. Read More >

The Vernal Equinox occurred this morning at 11:15 AM CDT. This was the start of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun's rays were directly overhead on the equator. Interesting tidbit, the word "equinox" is derived from two Latin words - aequus (meaning "equal") and nox (meaning "night").

On the two equinoxes (fall and spring), the length of day and night are nearly equal. The nearly equal hours of day and night are due to refraction of sunlight or a bending of the light's rays that causes the sun to appear above the horizon when the actual position of the sun is below the horizon. The days will continue to slowly get longer over the next couple of months, as the direct rays of the sun move slowly northward.

Earth's orbit around the sun

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NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan, WI

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Unsettled Weather in the Eastern U.S. through Memorial Day

Spring Began Today