How a La Niña winter compares to El Niño
The La Niña climate pattern is one of the main drivers of weather in the U.S. and the world, especially in late fall, winter and early spring.
STAFF VIDEO, USA TODAY
- The first day of astronomical spring in 2026 is Friday, March 20, while meteorological spring begins on March 1.
- Memphis is experiencing unseasonably warm weather in early January, with temperatures in the upper 60s.
While it may feel like spring is almost here due to recent warm weather in Memphis, we’ve got several weeks before warm weather will be consistent.
According to the National Weather Service, most of the Mid-South will experience near-record temperatures from Jan. 6 to 9. During this time, temperatures will be in the upper 60s compared to the seasonal normal of the lower 50s.
Despite spring not starting for another two months, most Memphis residents will enjoy the warm weather while it’s here, rather than the snow the city received at this time last year.
Here’s when the first day of spring will arrive in 2026.
When is the first day of spring?
This year, the first day of astronomical spring is Friday, March 20. Typically, the first day of spring falls between March 19 and 21, depending on when the spring equinox occurs.
The first day of meteorological spring is Sunday, March 1.
“Interestingly, due to time zone differences, there hasn’t been a March 21 equinox in mainland United States during the entire 21st century,” The Old Farmer’s Almanac says. “We won’t see a March 21 equinox again until 2101.”
What is the difference between astronomical and meteorological seasons?
Astronomical seasons differ from meteorological seasons because they are defined by equinoxes and solstices. Meteorological seasons are based on weather patterns and cycles, which is why the dates differ.
“Astronomical seasons are based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, whereas meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle,” NOAA says.
What is the difference between a solstice and an equinox? What happens during an equinox?
Each year, there are two solstices and two equinoxes. Equinoxes happen in the fall and spring, while solstices occur in winter and summer.
Equinoxes are the only two times of the year when the Earth’s axis isn’t tilted toward or away from the sun, which results in a “nearly” equal amount of daylight and darkness at all latitudes. The solstices are either the shortest or longest days of the year.
Recent weather warming pattern
Memphis will be hitting near-record high temperatures in the first part of January thanks to a warm pattern moving through the region.
Starting Jan. 6, Memphis will see temperatures between 67 and 70 degrees for most of the week. The record-high temperatures for this period sit at 74 and 75 degrees.
“An upper-level ridge centered over the Yucatan Peninsula will continue to amplify today, kicking off a warming trend that will dominate weather patterns this week,” the weather service wrote in the forecaster’s discussion. “Record-challenging warmth is anticipated at this time with several areas in north Mississippi forecast to either tie or break high temperature records.”
For a weather comparison to show the difference in how a La Niña year can differ, in early January 2025, Memphis experienced a snowstorm that shut the city down for a week and set a new record for snowfall at 7.5 inches. Both years were considered La Niña phases, but 2026’s La Niña is weakening, thus the warmer-than-normal weather.
Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at [email protected].
