~~What exactly is the Vernal Equinox?~~

TIME writer Harry Swartout explains:

Twice a year, the earth’s axis is angled such that the world gets an equal amount of daylight and night. As the axis tilts further, the northern hemisphere receives more direct sunlight, leading to spring and summer’s warmer temperatures. The Equinox helps mark important celebrations around the world like Nowruz, the Persian New Year, Easter, and Passover.

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 is basically…