Seasonal times refer to the beginning and end of each of the four seasons on Earth. During each season, different holidays and weather conditions occur.
We use the seasons to separate the year into quarters that help us track records and prepare for what weather to expect.
What Is A Season?
A season is a time period of the year that has specific climate conditions. There are four seasons on Earth – spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Each has its own weather conditions that are fairly consistent throughout the northern hemisphere.
The planet has always had seasons, but the dates for those seasons have changed many times throughout the centuries. Today, nearly 90% of the world lives in the northern hemisphere and, thus, shares the same seasons.
- Spring – from March to June for most of the world, bringing flowers, rain, and a mixture of climate changes
- Summer – from June to September for most of the world, bringing hot weather and greenery
- Fall – from September to December for most of the world, bringing changing colors and cooler weather
- Winter – from December to March for most of the world, bringing snow and ice
Astronomical Seasons
Astronomical seasons are the seasons that most of the population recognizes. They are the seasons you see on calendars.
The way they are decided depends on the equinoxes and solstices, or rather, the position of the sun relative to the Earth.
- Spring Equinox – around March 20 (September in Southern Hemisphere)
- Summer Solstice – around June 21 (December in Southern Hemisphere)
- Fall Equinox – around September 23 (March in Southern Hemisphere)
- Winter Solstice – around December 21 (June in Southern Hemisphere)
Meteorological Definition
Meteorological seasons refer to the seasons that meteorologists use to keep weather records. These have similar dates to astronomical seasons, but they always start on the same day.
- Spring from March 1
- Summer from June 1
- Fall from September 1
- Winter from December 1
When Does Fall Start?
Fall starts in September for 90% of the population. Whether you’re going by the astronomical or meteorological seasons, it will start on September 21-24 for the northern hemisphere. For the southern hemisphere, Autumn begins on March 20 or 21.
When Does Summer Start?
Summer starts in June for most of the population. Just like the autumn season, the summer season begins the same month, no whatever method you use in the northern hemisphere.
But the standard date for summer is June 20-21. This date is changed to December in the southern hemisphere.
When Is The First Day Of Spring?
The first day of spring is in March for the Northern Hemisphere. The exact date for the spring we recognize and mark our calendars for is March 20. H
owever, this can change by a day or so, depending on the year and time zone. In the southern hemisphere, the date for spring is September 22 or 23.
When Is The First Day Of Winter?
The first day of winter is in December for most of the world. This winter solstice begins on December 21 or 22 for the northern hemisphere and June 20 or 21 for the southern hemisphere.
Different Hemispheres – Opposite Seasonal Times
The differences in seasons can confuse many people. While it may be a cold winter in December for most of us, at the same time, it’s a hot summer day for those in Australia, southern Africa, and South America. This is because the mentioned continents live in the southern hemisphere.
Just like the astronomical, widely recognized seasons in the northern hemisphere are opposite than they are in the southern, so are the meteorological. They are the opposite.
So when weathermen recognize September 1 as “fall” for most of us, the southern hemisphere uses March 1 as the first day of fall.
Different Seasonal Times Depending On The Country
Another difficult thing to understand about seasons is that not all countries have big “seasonal” weather changes. The countries near the poles and near the equator have a rather constant temperature throughout the year, while those in-between experience stronger seasonal changes.
The seasons are still recognized by the calendar, but the weather does not change throughout the seasons. For example, in the equator countries of Ecuador and Kenya, winter and summer have the same average temperature.
Rain may fall more in some seasons, but the temperature rarely varies. Different cities may also have different temperatures (based on elevation and other factors).
But each city remains a rather constant temperature throughout the year. This alone may change the way you look at seasonal times forever.