--- title: Spring Equinox: First Day of Spring March 20 Google Doodle Vernal description: It's finally Spring! But it's still pretty chill across the U.S. canonical: https://time.com/31615/spring-has-sprung-todays-google-doodle-celebrates-the-spring-equinox/ author: Jessica Roy article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-20T11:50:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:02:11.121Z og:title: Happy First Day of Spring! og:description: Spring has finally sprung! But it's still pretty chill across the U.S. og:url: https://time.com/31615/spring-has-sprung-todays-google-doodle-celebrates-the-spring-equinox/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Happy First Day of Spring! twitter:description: Spring has finally sprung! But it's still pretty chill across the U.S. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Spring Has Sprung! Today's Google Doodle Celebrates the Spring Equinox ## Video: Vernal Equinox: Harbinger of Springtime [Watch (HLS stream): Vernal Equinox: Harbinger of Springtime](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wFhshZTF.m3u8) (2:24)  _Published 2014-03-19. The vernal equinox is the celestial event that ushers in the change of seasons into spring, an event celebrated worldwide and not just for the warmer temperatures it ushers in._ by [Jessica Roy](https://time.com/author/jessica-roy/) ## Jessica Roy Mar 20, 2014 11:50 AM UTC by [Jessica Roy](https://time.com/author/jessica-roy/) ## Jessica Roy Mar 20, 2014 11:50 AM UTC March 20th marks the Spring Equinox, better known as the[ first day of Spring](http://time.com/30230/springtime-is-finally-here-as-vernal-equinox-arrives/). And after a brutal winter season bummed out much of the U.S. for six straight months, the equinox is a welcome sign that hey, it might actually get warmer. The happy news is already [trending on Twitter](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23firstdayofspring&src=tren), and Google is celebrating the occasion with an [awesome animated Doodle](http://www.google.com/) showing a cartoon man watering seeds, which blossom into flowers that spell out GOOGLE:  Google Meanwhile, some businesses are offering promotions to mark the equinox. Rita’s Ice, for example, is holding its 22nd annual [First Day of Spring Celebration, where you can go get a free water ice.](http://www.ritasice.com/events-and-promotions/first-day-of-spring.aspx) So what exactly _is_ the Vernal Equinox? TIME writer Harry Swartout [explains](http://time.com/30230/springtime-is-finally-here-as-vernal-equinox-arrives/): --- > “” --- It also means you can officially wear white–but only until Labor Day. So though it’s technically the first day of Spring, it’s looking pretty cold out there across much of the country. [The Weather Channel’s temperature map](http://www.weather.com/weather/map/interactive/10013) is basically coated in blue:  The Weather Channel Those temps should warm up throughout the day, though: in NYC we’re looking at a high of 57, which–considering the winter we’ve had–is practically tropical. Now put on your best pastel outfit and maybe even think about having lunch outside (but decide against it because it’s probably still too cold). It’s SPRING. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/31615/spring-has-sprung-todays-google-doodle-celebrates-the-spring-equinox/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/31615/spring-has-sprung-todays-google-doodle-celebrates-the-spring-equinox/"},"headline":"Spring Has Sprung! Today's Google Doodle Celebrates the Spring Equinox","datePublished":"2014-03-20T11:50:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:02:11.121Z","description":"It's finally Spring! 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