What and when the spring equinox is - and when the clocks go forward

Watch the Met Office forecast, as temperatures are expected to rise in the West Midlands this week - date clocks go forward.

The UK has experienced warmer and brighter conditions this week - the first week of meteorological spring.

Temperatures are forecast to reach 17°C in some parts of the West Midlands on Thursday March 5.

A stock image of blossom and another stock image of an alarm clock. — What and when the spring equinox is - and when the clocks go forward.

As we enjoy some spring warmth, we’ve taken a look at what the spring equinox is and when the clocks will go forward.

What is the spring equinox?

At the equinox, the Earth's axis is tilted neither towards nor away from the Sun, meaning day and night are nearly equal in length. The equinox happens twice a year, in March and in September.

The spring equinox marks the start of astronomical spring, and is when days become longer than nights. The autumn equinox marks the beginning of autumn, as nights start to be longer than days.

When is the spring equinox?

This year, the spring equinox is on March 20.

Why do the clocks change?

Daylight saving time, which was introduced in the UK in 1916, is used to make the most of increased summer daylight hours in the northern hemisphere.

The clocks go forward in spring, giving an extra hour of daylight in the evening. In autumn, the clocks go back, providing an extra hour of daylight in the morning.

What are the arguments for changing the clocks?

Some of the arguments for changing the clocks are: reducing energy consumption for environmental reasons, having longer evenings to support leisure and tourism, encouraging people to exercise more outdoors and reducing road accidents.

What are the arguments against changing the clocks?

Some of the arguments against changing the clocks are: safety concerns about darker mornings and some farmers have expressed concern about the effect of changing routines for livestock.

There are no plans to stop changing the clocks in the UK.

Will my clock update automatically when the clocks change?

The majority of devices with an internet connection like smartphones and computers should update automatically. However, some watches and clocks will not change on their own.