IN BLANKSTARE NEWS: The first day of spring.

Those are welcome words for millions of people who suffered through a brutal winter and are celebrating the spring equinox, which will occur late tonight.

Spring is finally here! Those are welcome words for millions of people who suffered through a brutal winter and are celebrating the spring equinox, which will occur late tonight. But what do you know about the spring equinox, other than that it means winter is over and you'll soon be able to shed some layers of clothes? The spring, or vernal, equinox can occur at any time between March 19th and March 21st, depending on the year. In most years, the first day of spring is March 20th. The word equinox is a combination of two Latin words meaning equal and night. On the equinox, day and night last almost the same amount of time because the sun is moving directly over the equator.