Blinded by the Light? Blame the Equinox

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Spring arrives March 20 at 4:58 p.m. as the direct rays of the sun pass over the equator. This is known as the vernal equinox.

This is also the time of the year when drivers notice the sun is in their eyes more often. Eastbound drivers in the morning, and westbound drivers in the afternoon can be blinded by looking directly into the sun. This is because for a few weeks around the vernal equinox (and the autumnal equinox in the fall) the sun rises directly due east, and sets directly due west.

Since a large number of roads run east-west, driving during sunrise and sunset can be a challenge around the vernal and autumnal equinox.

The latest video forecast from NBC DFW team of Weather Experts will appear in the player above. Keep up with the latest changes to the weather by downloading the NBC DFW smartphone App for iOS and Android!

In the depths of winter, sunrise is on the southeast horizon, and sunset is on the southwest horizon. In summer, sunrise occurs on the northeast horizon and sunset is on the northwest horizon. During these times, drivers have fewer problems with sun blindness.

So be careful when hitting the roads around sunrise and sunset. The sun can make it difficult to see other drivers.

Get the latest forecast information from NBC 5's team of Weather Experts here.