Spring’s Warm Surprise in Nevada

The first sign of spring is the day the sun sits squarely over the equator, giving us almost equal daylight and night. In 2026 this happens on March 20 at 7:46 a. m. PST, marking the official start of astronomical spring for the northern hemisphere. Meteorologists, however, begin their calendar on March 1 and call it the start of meteorological spring. Nevada’s weather this year is already hinting at summer. The state’s usual mild winter, combined with a heatwave that has pushed temperatures into the high 80s in Reno and kept Las Vegas under an extreme heat warning, makes many feel as if spring has arrived early. Northern Nevada is experiencing warmth that would normally belong to June, even though the calendar still reads mid‑March.

Scientists explain the equinox as a time when Earth’s tilt is neutral—neither angled toward nor away from the sun. This places the planet halfway between winter and summer, a balance that repeats each year on March 20 or 21. The opposite event, the autumnal equinox in September, also offers equal day and night. Forecasts for Nevada’s upcoming months differ. NOAA and the National Weather Service predict a warmer spring overall, while the Old Farmer’s Almanac foresees warm and dry conditions across most of the state. In contrast, some forecasts suggest a cooler, drier spring for Nevada and the wider West. The Old Farmer’s Almanac claims an 80 % accuracy rate for its predictions, a figure they support with data from solar patterns and historical weather. Last winter, their forecasts matched the actual weather 86. 1 % of the time. The record‑breaking heat in Nevada this spring is a clear sign that climate patterns are shifting. As temperatures rise, residents and planners alike must adapt to the new normal of early summer warmth.

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