National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heat Persists in the South Central U.S. and Southwest; Heavy rains in the Desert Southwest and Central Plains

Sweltering heat remains across the South-Central Plains, Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley, and the Southwest this week with limited nighttime relief. Thunderstorms will bring heavy rainfall leading to localized flash flooding in portions of the Desert Southwest and central Plains. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across portions of the central Plains into the Northeast. Read More >

Winter officially ends at 4:24 pm CDT on Monday, March 20th, with the arrival of the vernal equinox and the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. 

During the equinox, the geometric center of the Sun's disk crosses the Equator, and days in the Northern Hemisphere become longer than the nights. The word "equinox" is derived from the Latin word aequinoctium, meaning "equal night".  However, despite common belief, the day of the equinox does not feature exactly 12 hours of daylight and darkness, as it is a function of solar refraction and an observer's latitude.  The particular date of equal days and nights (referred to as "equilux") is actually a few days before the vernal equinox at our latitude. 
 

Vernal equinox is 4:24 pm CDT Monday, March 20th