Saturday, March 20 is the vernal equinox.  Spring will begin PDT at 10:34 a.m., this is the day on which both the north and south pole of the earth are equal distances towards the sun (92.6 million miles).  The word vernal means green and equinox means equal night.  The spring season will begin on a warm note, with temperatures in our area averaging about 10 degrees above normal!  The average final freeze of the season is March 31st for the heart of Portland and closer to May 1st for Salem, Hillsboro and Battle Ground.