NikxDa

The Seasons Are Wrong

https://kentwalters.com/posts/seasons/

The Seasons are Wrong

Apr 11 at 4:25amWeb
Show threaddlcarrier1d ago

I've never thought starting seasons on the solstice/equinox made any sense, but I live in a Mediterranean climate, where winter is the two months that are chilly with continuous rain and fog, and summer is the two months where it never cools off and there's not a single cloud in the sky. These are centered around their respective equinoxes. (equinoxia? equinoctes?)

In a continental climate, with real weather, there's a lag between the day length and the temperature, so it makes more sense to start the season on the solstice/equinox.

Show threadnickff1d ago
I have been thinking about this issue for a similar length of time as the article author, but for the reasons you describe think the seasons should be slightly offset from the solstices (as opposed to centered on them). My current thinking is that summer should run from one month before the summer solstice to two months after, and so forth.
Show threadtonoto1d ago
Start of summer.. June 21st?
Is this statement true for US? Another thing to put in mind, besides Fahrenheit, yards, lbs.. at least time (besides 12 hour clock) seem to conform with the rest of the world...
Show thread_vertigo1d ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_lag
Seasonal lag - Wikipedia

Show threadTepix1d ago
Excellent link.
So the best solution is to take the authors observation and add the average seasonal lag to arrive at the „real“ observed spring, summer, fall and winter.
Show threadflohofwoe23h ago

Meteorological seasons make a bit more sense, and IME those are more commonly used anyway:

https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astrono...

Meteorological Versus Astronomical Seasons

Meteorologists and climatologists define seasons differently from “regular” or astronomical spring, summer, fall, and winter.

National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Show threadanactofgod23h ago
Do you want to define the seasons by temperature? Or by lengthening of the day? Because, to me, seasons are tied to weather in general, but temperature specifically. And temperature seems to correlates to length of day, but trails it by about a month. Which makes sense, since it takes time to heat/cool the enormous thermal mass. So, if weather is how you track the changing of the seasons, it’s close enough to correct as-is.