At the equinox, all latitudes see about 12 hours of daylight and darkness as Earth rotates on its axis. ( NOAA – watch interactive 
 
 It still feels like winter in many parts of the country, but Earth’s orbit says otherwise. 
 
 At 7:02 a.m. EDT this Wednesday (March 20), astronomical winter ends as spring officially begins in Earth’s northern hemisphere. 
 
 Astronomically, the spring equinox marks the moment at which Earth’s axis tilts neither away from nor toward the sun, resulting in nearly equal periods of daylight and darkness across the globe. An observer on Earth’s equator will see the sun at zenith before its direct rays shift northward toward the Tropic of Cancer over the next three months. 
 
 Equinox: What’s equal and what’s not? 
 
 Sun observers and astronomers may think of the spring equinox as an astronomical transit point when the Earth-sun relationship stands in perfect balance. This is true when we consider that all locations on Earth experience slightly over 12 hours of daylight, as well as the position of sunrise and sunset with respect to the horizon. 
 
 Link: Day and night world map 
 
 The most “equal” aspect of the equinox is the location of sunrise and sunset. Except at the north and south poles, all latitudes on Earth see the sun rise at due east and set at due west on the March equinox. So whether you live in Miami, northern Alaska, or anywhere in the southern hemisphere, the sun will rise and set within 90 degrees of due north on a compass. 
 
 Change in daylight and average temperatures in U.S. cities on the vernal equinox. Cities are arranged by latitude. (Justin Grieser, data from NWS and timeanddate.com) 
 
 Another unifying trait of the March equinox is that it marks the time of year when daylight most rapidly increases in the northern hemisphere (or decreases for those south of the equator). While the days grow longer more quickly at northern latitudes, all northern hemisphere locations see their maximum daily increase in sunlight right around the spring equinox. 
 
 Equal daylight but unequal solar strength 
 
 Apart from the location of sunrise and sunset, however, most other aspects of the equinox are not the same. In fact, even the equal daylight concept is only partly true. Due to atmospheric refraction, most locations see the sun above the horizon for about 12 hours and 10 minutes on the spring equinox. The exact date of 12 hours from sunrise to sunset occurs anywhere from March 12-18 and depends largely on latitude (read more). 
 
 More important, while the March equinox brings roughly equal hours of daylight to the globe, the intensity of the sun’s rays will never be the same at all latitudes. In other words, equal daylight does not imply equal incoming solar radiation. 
 
 Comparing U.S. cities in the table above, we see that day length says little about average temperatures in early spring. Though daylight increases fastest in the northern United States, a lower sun angle at higher latitudes warms the ground less effectively. This results in colder soil and air temperatures and is why spring vegetation is still several weeks away from blooming in northern climates. 
 
 Beware of increasing UV 
 
 But whether or not it feels like spring, the equinox is a reminder that the sun’s declination – or height with respect to the horizon – is increasing at its fastest pace of the year. For humans, this means the sun’s ultraviolet rays are now significantly more intense than they were in midwinter. As we move into April the intensity of the sun’s rays will continually increase, so remember to keep sunscreen handy if you’re out gardening on a warm spring day. 
 
 Most of the lower 48 states now see at least moderate UV levels on a clear day. In all but the northernmost states, the UV index reaches high intensity when skies are clear at local noon (around 1 p.m. on daylight saving time). 
 
 The table above shows the maximum UV index around the March equinox as well as the declination of the sun at solar noon. Because the sun is seen directly overhead (90º above the horizon) at the equator (0º latitude), calculating the maximum sun angle on the equinox is straightforward: simply subtract your city’s latitude from 90 degrees. 
 
 On the March equinox in Washington, D.C. (38.9º north latitude), the sun climbs to 51.2º above the horizon on the March equinox, delivering high UV levels on a sunny day. In Anchorage, however, the UV index is still low, as the March sun there shines at the same low angle seen in the nation’s capital around mid-December. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 Unlike a year ago, when record March warmth accompanied the astronomical start of spring, temperatures in 2013 remain below average for much of the central and eastern U.S. Yet no matter what the weather outside, the spring equinox is a reminder that incoming sunlight is significantly stronger as the Earth’s northern hemisphere begins to tilt toward the sun. Even as winter overstays its welcome for some, we now see more daylight than darkness. That means spring can’t be far behind. 
 
 Related posts 
 
 Winter Solstice 2012 
 
 Autumn Equinox 2012 
 
 Summer Solstice 2012 
 
 Spring Equinox 2012 
 
 Winter Solstice 2011 
 
 Autumn Equinox 2011 
 
 Summer Solstice 2011 ||||| Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – A rainbow appears in the skies above a Hong Kong office building on Wednesday, August 7. Click through to see other images of weather around the world. Hide Caption 1 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – A woman uses a parasol to block the sun's rays at the Bund, a popular tourist spot in Shanghai, China, on August 7. Hide Caption 2 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – A woman wears her clothes backward against the scorching sun in Jinan, China, on August 4. Hide Caption 8 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – Women in maid costumes throw water to the ground in the Akihabara shopping district in Tokyo on Saturday, August 3. They were taking part in an annual summer event to cool off the street. Hide Caption 10 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – People take shelter from the heat in the entrance of a subway station in Shanghai, on Wednesday, July 31. More than 10 people have died in China's commercial hub, a local health official said as the city swelters in its highest temperatures for at least 140 years. Hide Caption 14 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – Children take the plunge to cool off in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Monday, July 29. Hide Caption 15 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Men relax at a lake near Erfurt, Germany, on Sunday, July 28. Hide Caption 16 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People fly kites during the Bali Kite Festival in Denpasar, Indonesia, on Saturday, July 27. Hide Caption 17 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Umbrellas are out in force at an intersection in Hong Kong on Thursday, July 25. Hide Caption 18 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – During a rainstorm Wednesday, July 24, wild ponies are herded into the Assateague Channel for their annual swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague, Virginia, to be auctioned off. Hide Caption 20 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Boys dive into the cool water of the swimming pool "Schwanseebad" in Weimar, Germany, Tuesday, July 23. Meteorologists forecast the hot and sunny weather to continue in the country. Hide Caption 21 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People cross a flooded road near the Triveni Sangam in Allahabad, India, on July 22. According to Hindu tradition, a bath at the confluence of three rivers -- the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- atones for sin. Hide Caption 23 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Sunflowers blossom on a field near Langerwisch, eastern Germany, on July 22. Hide Caption 24 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Hudson the polar bear plays with a block of ice to cool down at the Brookfield Zoo during a massive heat wave on Thursday, July 18, in Brookfield, Illinois. Hide Caption 26 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A girl plays in the fountain called "Appearing Rooms," by Danish artist Jeppe Hein, in central London on July 18. The United Kingdom is experiencing a second week of heatwave conditions. Hide Caption 27 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Swimmers enjoy the sunshine at an outdoor pool in central London on Wednesday, July 17. Hide Caption 28 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Mason Kraft, 5, keeps cool at the Highland Park Splash Pad in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, on Monday, July 15. Hide Caption 29 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Sailboats dot Lake Ammersee, near Herrsching, in southern Germany on Saturday, July 13. Hide Caption 30 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Rescuers evacuate residents with an excavator on Wednesday, July 10, after a landslide hit Wenchuan, China. Flooding that triggered the landslide reportedly has affected 1.5 million people. Hide Caption 31 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A man reads a book in the sunshine on steps covered in artificial grass on July 10 in London. Hide Caption 32 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A waterspout comes ashore in Oldsmar, Florida, on Monday, July 8. Authorities say the waterspout caused damage to the shingles of a home and knocked down tree branches and a mailbox, but no injuries were reported. Hide Caption 33 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Heavy rains force people to walk across a flooded road and leave vehicles trapped on a viaduct in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in central China, on Sunday, July 7. Hide Caption 34 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A man jumps into East Lake in Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Wednesday, July 3. Hide Caption 35 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A lightning strikes the San Nicolas Panotla community in the state of Tlaxcala, Mexico, on Tuesday, July 2. Hide Caption 36 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – R.J. Hernandez, 8, of El Campo, Texas, is buried in sand as he tries to stay cool in Santa Monica on Friday, June 28. Hide Caption 37 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Kayakers cast off from a boathouse on the Potomac River in Washington on June 25. Hide Caption 39 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A strong line of thunderstorms approaches the Capitol with heavy rain and winds on Thursday, June 13, in Washington. Hide Caption 40 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Floodwaters from the Elbe River inundate a yard with a swimming pool near Magdeburg, Germany, on Monday, June 10. Heavy rain has left rivers swollen across Central Europe. Hide Caption 41 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A dog finds a spot on a rubber raft among groceries and bottles of butane as his owner pulls him through a flooded street in Elster, Germany, near the swollen Elbe River on Friday, June 7. Hide Caption 42 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A boy cools off under a water tanker in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 4. Hide Caption 43 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People cool off in a fountain at Washington Square Park in New York at dusk on Friday, May 31, as temperatures reached the 90s. Hide Caption 46 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Indian youth jump from a wall into the Nizamuddin Baoli on a hot day in New Delhi, India, on May 28. Hide Caption 47 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Rubble lines a wet street in a tornado-devastated neighborhood in Moore, Oklahoma, on Thursday, May 23. Severe thunderstorms barreled through this Oklahoma City suburb at dawn Thursday, complicating cleanup efforts three days after a powerful tornado ripped through the area. Hide Caption 50 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A boy cools off in a watering hole in Allahabad, India, on Saturday, May 18, where temperatures have reportedly reached 117.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Hide Caption 52 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A dandelion seed reflects in a rain-covered path in Sieversdorf, Germany, on May 18. Hide Caption 53 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A woman passes along the seafront as the rain falls in Weston-Super-Mare, England, on Tuesday, May 14. Hide Caption 55 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A sandstorm sweeps through Cairo, Egypt, on Monday, May 13. Hide Caption 56 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People take shelter under umbrellas during a boat ride in heavy rain on the Spreewald Canals near Luebbenau, Germany, on Sunday, May 12. Hide Caption 57 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Rain doesn't deter an outing in Jersey City, New Jersey, and even a view of Lower Manhattan despite the fog on Thursday, May 9. Hide Caption 58 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Photos: Weather around the world – A woman exits a cab during a rainstorm on Wednesday, May 8, in New York. Hide Caption 59 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People soak up the spring sunshine on the River Cam on Monday, May 6, in Cambridge, England. Hide Caption 60 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Two men drive cattle across the crocodile infested Tana River in Keny'as Tana delton on May 3. Flooding from heavy seasonal rains has killed more than 60 people and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. Hide Caption 61 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People in the Morazan neighborhood of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, sort through the remains of their possessions after heavy rains left two people missing and destroyed streets and homes. Hide Caption 62 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A lone fan watches snow fall during a delay in play between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, May 2. The game was postponed because of the weather. Hide Caption 63 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Snow covers an outdoor bar in downtown Golden, Colorado, after a spring storm dumped more than a foot of snow on Wednesday, May 1. In nearby Denver, the average date for the last snow of the season is April 26, but the record for the latest snowfall was set June 12, 1947, according to the National Weather Service. Hide Caption 64 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A bee harvests nectar on a sunflower as temperatures soar into the 90s on Saturday, April 27, in Quezon City, Philippines. Hide Caption 65 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A man pours water over children swimming in an inflatable swimming pool to beat the heat in Manila, Philippines, on Friday, April 26. Hide Caption 66 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Fields and meadows are flooded by the waters from the Oder River near Lebus, Germany, close to the border with Poland, on April 26. The meadows along the Oder are regularly flooded during spring. Hide Caption 67 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A Pakistani motorcyclist crosses a flooded street after heavy rain in Peshawar on April 26. Pakistan has suffered devastating monsoon floods for the last three years, including the worst in its history in 2010, when catastrophic inundations killed almost 1,800 people and affected 21 million. Hide Caption 68 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Horses and jockeys return to stables in damp weather at the Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong on Friday, April 26. Preparations are under way for the upcoming Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup. Hide Caption 69 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Arnold Gropper, left, and Werner Simm fish at Lake Forggensee on Thursday, April 25, near Füssen, Germany. Hide Caption 70 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Chef Paul Prudhomme heads to the Zurich Classic Pro-Am clubhouse at TPC Louisiana as officials order the evacuation of all temporary structures after a tornado warning in New Orleans on Wednesday, April 24. Hide Caption 71 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – The grounds crew covers the field at Fenway Park in the eighth inning because of rain during a game between the Oakland Athletics and the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, April 23, in Boston. Hide Caption 72 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People take in the spring sunshine at Parade Gardens in Bath, England, on April 23. Hide Caption 73 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A camel herder guides his animals during a sandstorm on the edge of Khartoum, Sudan, on Saturday, April 20. Hide Caption 74 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Hector Duran uses his bike to get through floodwater on Friday, April 19, in Des Plaines, Illinois. The suburban Chicago town is battling rising floodwater from the Des Plaines River. Hide Caption 75 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Children still feel the bite of winter weather in Taiyuan, the capital of north China's Shanxi Province, on April 19. Hide Caption 76 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Sunshine bathes the banks of Inner Alster Lake in Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday, April 18. Hide Caption 77 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Debris litters a river after a tornado and hailstorm hit Zhenyuan County in China's southwest Guizhou Province on April 18. Hide Caption 79 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People make their way along Champa Street in downtown Denver during a spring storm on Wednesday, April 17. Hide Caption 80 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A man rides a bike during a heavy sandstorm in Yecheng county, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday, April 16. Hide Caption 81 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A woman feeds a pig in her yard during a flood in the Belarus village of Snyadin near the Pripyat river on April 16. Hide Caption 82 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A sandstorm strikes Baghdad on April 16, during a rally where the head Shiite Muslim leader Ammar al-Hakim was speaking. Hide Caption 83 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A youth jumps into a water well to cool off in Hyderabad, India, on Wednesday, April 10. Hide Caption 84 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Warm spring weather finds New Yorkers relaxing along the East River in Lower Manhattan on Tuesday, April 9. Hide Caption 85 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Cherry blossoms bloom in Washington on Monday, April 8. A colder-than-normal March and chilly April delayed the beginning of the cherry blossom season. Peak bloom was originally predicted between March 26 and March 30. Hide Caption 86 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People enjoy sunny spring weather, a break from an unusually cold spring, near the Louvre Pyramid at the Cour Carree of the Louvre Museum on Sunday, April 7, in Paris. Hide Caption 87 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A passenger ship makes its way through a channel to the Swedish island of Husaro on Friday, April 5. Hide Caption 88 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Tourists travel on a ferry near blooming cherry blossoms on the Okazaki Canal in Kyoto, Japan, on April 5. Hide Caption 89 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Villager Fu Xianxing, 70, walks on a dried-up field Tuesday, April 2, in Suining, China. A severe drought has caused a shortage of drinking water in the area in southwest China's Sichuan province. Hide Caption 90 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Children play on the beach in Gaza City during a dust storm on Monday, April 1. Hide Caption 91 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Snowboarders and skiers wait to take a ski lift at Feldberg Mountain in Schwarzwald, Germany, on Friday, March 29. Hide Caption 92 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A supermarket semi-truck passes icicles and ice-covered shrubs near Hazeley Bottom, England, south of Reading, on Wednesday, March 27. Hide Caption 93 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A road sign peeks above a flooded street in Badolatosa, Spain, on Monday, March 25. Hide Caption 94 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Snow covers the shrubbery around the White House on Monday, March 25. Hide Caption 95 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Snow collects on a man sleeping on a bench early Monday, March 25, in Washington, D.C. Hide Caption 96 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – U.S. soccer player Clint Dempsey, No. 8, is surrounded by snow during a FIFA 2014 World Cup Qualifier match between Costa Rica and the United States in Commerce City, Colorado, on Friday, March 22. Hide Caption 97 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Cherry blossom trees are bloom in Tokyo on Friday, March 22, in a sure sign spring has arrived in Japan. Hide Caption 98 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Cold weather keeps Britons bundled up as they cross the London Bridge on March 22. Hide Caption 99 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A bicyclist pulls a child on a sled through the snow on Thursday, March 21, in Berlin. Hide Caption 100 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A tornado leaves scaffolding in tatters on Wednesday, March 20, in Daoxian, China. Hide Caption 101 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Paramilitary guards walk along a street following an overnight snowfall in Beijing on March 20. Hide Caption 102 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – World War II veteran Sam Melnik, 90, shovels snow from his driveway on Tuesday, March 19, in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Hide Caption 103 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A jogger runs across a snow-covered street in Berlin on March 19. Hide Caption 104 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A woman takes a picture of the blooming almond orchards as spring arrives in Srinagar, Kashmir, on Monday, March 18. Hide Caption 105 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – The aurora borealis lights up the sky at twilight on Sunday, March 17, between the towns of Are and Ostersund, Sweden. Hide Caption 106 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Trees are covered with ice on Saturday, March 16, near the town of Klina, Kosovo. Hide Caption 107 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – An early flower is seen through a blanket of melting snow at the Palmengarten botanical gardens in Frankfurt, Germany, on Thursday, March 14. Hide Caption 108 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Cows search for edible grass in drought-stricken paddocks on March 12 in Waiuku, New Zealand. Drought was declared in several North Island areas last week, including South Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Hide Caption 109 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Brief but heavy snowstorms move across the Yorkshire moors on Monday, March 11, in the United Kingdom. Hide Caption 110 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A nun walks through the rain under an umbrella in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sunday, March 10. Hide Caption 111 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A cyclist makes his way along a snowy track near Ladmanlow, United Kingdom, on March 10 as a return of freezing temperatures and snow delay springtime weather for Great Britain. Hide Caption 112 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A Chinese woman covers her head with a scarf as she walks near Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Saturday, March 9, as strong winds and dust storms swept the Chinese capital. Hide Caption 113 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Fog shrouds a dog and its owner as they walk beside Bourne Brook, in Toft Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, on Friday, March 8. Hide Caption 114 of 125 
 
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 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – People stand under the snow-covered "Cloud Gate" sculpture, commonly known as "the bean," on Tuesday, March 5, in Chicago, Illinois. Hide Caption 117 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Left to right: Anthony Jordan and his 6-year-old twin sons Griffin and Landin shovel their driveway in Sycamore, Illinois, on March 5. Hide Caption 118 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Lightning strikes over Jakarta's skyline late on March 3 during monsoon rains. Hide Caption 119 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Tourists enjoy donkey rides on Filey Beach on March 2 in Filey, England. Hide Caption 120 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A man covers his face as he walks around Tiananmen Square during a sand storm in heavily polluted weather in Beijing on February 28. Hide Caption 121 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – A man and a dog cross the flooded graveyard in the village of Monospitovo, Macedonia, on February 27. Torrential rains poured down on the Strumica Valley, destroying or damaging crops and households. Hide Caption 122 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Ducks fly over the frozen Titisee Lake in Titisee-Neustadt, Germany, on February 27. Hide Caption 123 of 125 
 
 Photos: Weather around the world 125 photos Weather around the world – Frost-covered plants are seen on banks of the Usiazha River near the Belarus village of Usiazha, on February 26. Hide Caption 124 of 125
– Spring has officially sprung, but just try prying the scarf and mittens from much of the country that is still freezing. Areas of Maine are expected to receive up to 14 inches of snow today, while the residents of Lunenburg, Mass., are already enjoying 15 inches and subzero temperatures, says CNN. "Definitely over winter," grumbles one resident. Even the South is suffering, with freeze warnings from central Alabama to North Carolina. For those looking for a distraction from shoveling, the Washington Post runs down the meaning of the Spring Equinox—the day in which we see equal parts daylight and nighttime.