When Does Each Season Start __top__ -

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Solar Seasons align closely with the meteorological dates. June 1st sees a huge amount of daylight, signalling summer to our circadian rhythms. However, the Thermal Seasons—the peak heat of summer and the deep freeze of winter—lag behind, peaking roughly 4 to 6 weeks after the solstices.

Here is where it gets interesting. If you walk outside on June 1st, it usually feels like summer. If you walk outside on December 21st, it has usually been cold for weeks.

There are two primary ways to define the start of each season: the method, based on Earth's position relative to the sun, and the meteorological method, which follows the calendar and annual temperature cycles. Seasonal Start Dates (Northern Hemisphere)

Longest day of the year; sun at its highest altitude. Starts: June 20–22 (Northern) / December 20–23 (Southern) when does each season start

| Season | Astronomical Start | Meteorological Start | |--------|-------------------|----------------------| | Spring | March equinox (~Mar 20) | March 1 | | Summer | June solstice (~Jun 21) | June 1 | | Fall | September equinox (~Sep 22) | September 1 | | Winter | December solstice (~Dec 21) | December 1 |

This has given rise to (or Cross-Quarter Days), which attempt to align the calendar with how the season actually feels . In this system, the solstices and equinoxes mark the middle of the season, not the start.

Equal day and night again. Sun crosses celestial equator southward. Starts: September 21–24 (Northern) / March 19–21 (Southern) In the Northern Hemisphere, the Solar Seasons align

This aligns with ancient Celtic traditions and makes intuitive sense. By the time the Winter Solstice arrives on Dec 21, the natural world has been dormant for weeks. To call that the start of winter feels like a bureaucratic joke.

Note: Meteorological seasons are the same dates worldwide for a given hemisphere. They start on the first of the month, always.

The answer is a matter of perspective.

This is due to .

This is the definition most of us were taught in school. It relies on the and equinoxes —the specific moments when Earth’s tilt relative to the Sun hits a specific peak.