Perhaps not everyone will agree, but Friday could be counted as the start of spring in the District — almost implausible, possibly a bit unconvincing, but actually spring in one of its many accepted guises.
However, it ought to be noted that meteorologists consider the first of March as the start of spring, and they have an important say in what we know and how we think about our seasons.
Reasons for skepticism seemed obvious. The afternoon, at least, was not especially bright with vernal promise. Instead, it was gray with clouds.
If the day were not exactly chilly, it seemed almost chilly. The high temperature in Washington in the afternoon was 54 degrees.
That is 2 degrees above the average for the capital on the first day of March.
The morning’s low temperature was 33. One degree less and the day could have been called freezing. The low was 2 degrees below the average low for the date.
So Friday labored under handicaps in presenting itself as the start of a season from which so much is expected. In itself, it seemed to lack the requisite atmospheric charms.
In addition, it may not have contrasted adequately with the days of January and February that it followed. Those months were warmer than average, January by 2.3 degrees and February by 4.4.
Friday then faced challenges in staking its claim to be the forerunner of a splendid new season rather than a faded remnant of a grim old one.
But that may be to disregard the role played by the sun. The afternoon seemed drab under its gray blanket of clouds, streaked by lower clouds of even darker gray.
But before those clouds encroached, the morning showed at least indications of the potential delights of spring sunshine.
And in an event of particular significance, on Friday, for the first time this year, the sun set after 6 p.m.
The time given on timeanddate.com was 6:01 p.m. It signaled progress toward springtime, warmer weather and longer days.
