For centuries, the Chronari had recorded the dates: March 20th, June 21st, September 22nd, December 21st—fixed, precise, sterile. They had traded the living experience of the seasons for predictability. In doing so, they had bound the spirits to numbers, and the spirits grew weak.
And on the next summer solstice—June 21st, again, but different—Elara stood at the Hinge as the sun paused at its zenith. Estival stepped out of the light, not as a concept, but as a being made of ripening wheat and cicada song.
“You remembered,” the spirit said.
The division of the year into four seasons is a fundamental way humans track time, agriculture, and weather patterns. However, the exact dates of the seasons depend on which system you use: (based on the position of the Earth relative to the Sun) or Meteorological (based on annual temperature cycles).
In the Time Before Calendars, when humans still read the sky like an open book, there lived a young archivist named Elara. Her people, the Chronari, believed that the dates of the equinoxes and solstices were not mere astronomical markers, but living beings—spirits who walked the earth for a single day each season. dates for the seasons
As of 2026, the dates for the seasons vary depending on whether you use the astronomical or meteorological calendar. While meteorological seasons follow fixed three-month blocks, astronomical seasons align with the Earth's orbit and the Sun’s position . 2026 Seasonal Calendar: Northern Hemisphere For those in the North, spring officially begins in March and leads into the warmth of June. Season Meteorological Dates (Fixed) Astronomical Dates (Solstice/Equinox) Spring March 1 – May 31 March 20 – June 20 Summer June 1 – August 31 June 21 – September 22 Autumn September 1 – November 30 September 23 – December 20 Winter December 1 – Feb 28, 2027 December 21 – March 19, 2027 2026 Seasonal Calendar: Southern Hemisphere Seasons in the South are exactly opposite to the North. When the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun for summer, the Southern Hemisphere tilts away, ushering in winter. Season Meteorological Dates (Fixed) Astronomical Dates (Solstice/Equinox) Autumn March 1 – May 31 March 20 – June 20 Winter June 1 – August 31 June 21 – September 22 Spring September 1 – November 30 September 23 – December 21 Summer December 1 – Feb 28, 2027 December 22 – March 19, 2027 Why Two Different Calendars? Meteorological Seasons: Created by meteorologists and climatologists to group months based on annual temperature cycles rather than exact solar positioning. This allows for easier statistical tracking. Astronomical Seasons: Defined by the Earth's 23.5-degree tilt on its axis. These dates mark the
Elara shook her head. “I remembered that the date is not the season. The date is the place we agree to meet.” For centuries, the Chronari had recorded the dates:
The start and end dates for the four seasons depend on whether you are using the (based on the sun) or meteorological (based on the calendar) definition. Astronomical Seasons (2026)
Below is a breakdown of the seasons for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. And on the next summer solstice—June 21st, again,