But neither of these definitions will tell you when to plant your peas. To understand American spring, you have to understand phenology —the study of cyclic biological events. When does the red maple bloom? When do the robins return? When does the last frost hit?
For North Dakota, Montana, and the upper reaches of Wisconsin, spring is breathtakingly short. It arrives in mid-May and is gone by June 1. The snow melts, the prairie flowers explode, and within three weeks, it’s 85°F and thunderstorm season. Locals will tell you that spring is their favorite day of the year—singular. You have to be ready to experience it on a Tuesday afternoon between 2 and 4 PM. The Calendar’s Cruelest Trick: The “Second Winter” No discussion of spring in the USA is complete without naming the phenomenon that breaks spirits: Second Winter . when is spring season in usa
The meteorologist will point to March 1. The astronomer will insist on the vernal equinox (March 19–21). The farmer in Vermont will tell you it starts when the sap runs in the maples. The parent in Phoenix will say it started in February—the day they packed away the winter coats for good. And the resident of Buffalo, New York, will sadly note that “spring” is merely the three weeks between the last snowstorm and the start of summer humidity. But neither of these definitions will tell you
Also known as “Blackberry Winter,” “Dogwood Winter,” or “Lineman’s Winter” (depending on your region), this is a brief but sharp cold snap that occurs after a warm stretch, usually in late April or early May. Indigenous peoples and farmers named these because they happen when the dogwoods bloom or the blackberries flower. When do the robins return
Just don’t put your snow shovel away until Memorial Day. You’ve been warned.