Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is a 15-day festival that is celebrated in many Asian countries.
Winter this year in the Midwest hasn't messed around. Central Indiana saw 15.7 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 from frostbite.
Frankly? We're over it. If you're one of the many Hoosiers wondering when spring weather will return to Indiana, there's good and bad news.
The last day of winter is more than six weeks away. However, above-freezing temperatures have arrived in Central Indiana, according to the National Weather Service, with daily highs Tuesday into Thursday expected to reach into the 40s.
As milder weather returns to the Midwest, 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.
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 in the Midwest?
According to NOAA's seasonal temperature outlook map, Midwest states such as Indiana, Illinois and Michigan have an equal chance for above and below normal temperatures. Also in the Midwest, climatologists predict Indiana's precipitation could be above normal. Meanwhile East Coast states from New England to Florida could see above average temperatures spring in March, April and May.