It might be time to put those snow boots away. The Spring Equinox is this Sunday and kicks off the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Derived from the latin word “aequus” — meaning equal — and “nox” — meaning night — the word aptly describes how the equinox means both the day and night are equally 12 hours long.

At the exact moment of the Spring Equinox — 10:33 a.m. in Central Time Zone — the sun shines directly on the equator before the Earth continues its orbit and brings more sun to the northern hemisphere for the next half year.

With the Spring Equinox marking the start of spring, you’ll start to see Missouri’s official state flower, downy hawthorn (Crataegus mollis), blooming all over the city. Other flowers starting to bloom are dogwood (Cornus florida) and bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). Head over to Powell Gardens to see if you can spot these flowers.

Have pollen allergies? Celebrate the start of spring by basking in the sun on aesthetic patios such as the one on Messenger Coffee’s rooftop, or grab some friends and head down to Chicken N Pickle for a friendly game of pickleball.

If you’re all about the NCAA Men's or Women's Basketball Tournament this spring, try a local bar like The Brooksider Sports Bar & Grill to watch a game. While you’re at it, be sure to take part in our own version of a tournament by following our barbecue bracket on Instagram.