Winter this year hasn’t messed around. Some parts of Louisville saw 10.5 inches of snow at the start of January, the bulk of which fell during a major winter storm. Sub-zero temperatures continued to chill the state throughout the month — freezing pipes and posing health risks due to frostbite.

Frankly? We’re over it. If you’re wondering when spring weather returns to Kentucky, there’s good and bad news.

The last day of winter is more than six weeks away. However, above-freezing temperatures appear to be sticking around in Louisville for the time being, according to the National Weather Service, with daily highs Wednesday into Friday expected to reach into the low to mid 50s.

As milder weather returns to Kentucky, here’s what to know about the official start of spring in 2025.

When is the first day of spring 2025?

The first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere is Thursday, March 20, 2025. This is also the date of the vernal equinox.

The vernal equinox: Prepare for nearly 12 hours of sunshine

The vernal equinox marks the changing of seasons. For the Northern Hemisphere, winter recedes into spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s reversed. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Brazil welcome the start of autumn.

On March 20, the sun will shine directly over Earth’s equator, creating roughly 12 hours of day and night across the world. Equinox, if you were wondering, means “equal night” in Latin, when nighttime and daytime are about equal lengths everywhere on the planet.

Image courtesy of NASA.

What are the spring months?

March, April, May and June are spring months in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, spring lasts from March 20, 2025 until the summer solstice on June 20, 2025.

Groundhog Day: Will spring come early?

Famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil will issue his famous forecast on Feb. 2, 2025. The groundhog last year saw his shadow, which traditionally means six more weeks of winter. Don’t take let that worry you, though. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there’s “no predictive skill” for Phil. The groundhog has only gotten it right about 40% of the time.

Other popular forecasts include The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which predicts a warmer and wetter spring for most of the country. That’s something climatologists would agree on.

Story continues after photo gallery with spring photos from 2024.

What will this spring be like around Kentucky?

According to NOAA’s seasonal temperature outlook map, most of Kentucky is leaning toward above normal temperatures for March, April and May, a trend that appears among east coast from Maine to Florida. Also in Kentucky, climatologists predict Kentucky’s precipitation could be above normal.

What are the dates for the four seasons in 2025?

• March 20, 2025: first day of spring.
• June 20, 2025: first day of summer.
• Sept. 22, 2025: first day of fall.
• Dec. 21, 2025: first day of winter.

John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at [email protected]. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: First day of spring 2025 promises warmer weather. Here’s when it starts