Welcome to spring

At 05:14 GMT (06:14 here in Warsaw), the sun crossed the equator (i.e. the suns rays beamed vertically down upon the equator for a brief moment before sweeping northwards). Spring has arrived several hours earlier than usual because this is a leap year. Winter has finished, in the astronomical sense at least. Past years have shown that wintry phenomena have a habit of returning well into April, indeed last year Warsaw experienced snow as late as 4 May.

So here it is - at last, and helpfully, the sun's shining as if to celebrate this morning, though outside it's a mere +4C. We have have survived another winter; now spring, summer and golden autumn await. Six months of warmth and light.

For a detailed summary of the winter of 2011-2012, let me direct you over to Student SGH's blog, where once again he presents a meteorological record of how southern Warsaw was treated by the climate.

Finally - let me call for an end to winter time. It's a waste of evening daylight. In midwinter the vast majority of us in the Northern Hemisphere wake in darkness, leave home in darkness and leave work in darkness. So an hour one way or another makes no difference. Where the difference does matter is from late January until late March, when the receding dusk could lift our spirits were it to give us some daylight after working hours.

"What do we want?"
"No return to winter time!"
"When do we not want it?"
"Not in the wee small hours of Sunday 28 October 2012, nor ever again"

This time last year:
Giving way or standing firm?

This time two years ago:
Summerhouses near Okęcie

This time three years ago:
A truly British icon