Why is the winter solstice the start of winter?

[Throckmorton]

I don't get why the shortest day of the year is chosen as the official beginning of winter. Wouldn't it make more sense for the shortest day to be the middle of winter? Similarly, I'd think that summer should be the longest days of the year with the summer solstice at the middle of the period.

 

[Deeko]

Well...no, because even though its the shortest day, its not the 'coldest'. We generally rate our seasons based on the weather, not the length of the day. At least, that's how I see it.

 

[Throckmorton]

Well I assume there is a lag between the day length and the effect on climatic variation, but that means that using the solstice as the start of winter is arbitrary. Then again I guess any date would be arbitrary

 

[her209]

I love winter.

:heart:

 

[cubby1223]

Because if they did it your way, the blizzards and 0 degree weather in February will mark the start of the spring season.

 

[Throckmorton]

http://www.usatoday.com/weathe...s/askjack/wfaqsson.htm

A: Meteorologists and climatologists define winter as December 1 through the last day of February. However, astronomical winter ? often described as ?official? winter ? begins on the winter solstice (on or around December 21) and lasts until the spring equinox (on or around March 21).



Wow.. I didn't know about meteorological winter. That means taht the middle of meteorological winter is January 15th, about 3 weeks after the winter solstice, which seems like a reasonable lag time.

 

[SSSnail]

I love winters somewhere where I'm not at, makes for pretty postcards and the occasional snowboarding. Other than that, I'd like my weather to be 80 degrees all year round, please.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Topic Title: Why is the winter solstice the start of winter?

Because it's my birthday.

You must pay homage

 

[Jeff7]

For the same reason that the time when the sun is typically highest is called "noon" or for the reason a week has 7 days - because someone somewhere sometime said so. "Winter" is just a word, no different than "species" - just a classification to help us little humans organize our thoughts.

 

[nageov3t]

seasons are generally broken up by the weather, at least here in states that actually get all 4 seasons, and Dec 21st - March 21st makes a lot more sense than December 1st - February 28th.

at least here in the north east, the bad snow storms don't really even start until january... St. Patrick's Day is usually the day when I unofficially mark the end of winter, because I can't recall any large blizzard's ever occurring after that date.

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: loki8481
seasons are generally broken up by the weather, at least here in states that actually get all 4 seasons, and Dec 21st - March 21st makes a lot more sense than December 1st - February 28th.

at least here in the north east, the bad snow storms don't really even start until january... St. Patrick's Day is usually the day when I unofficially mark the end of winter, because I can't recall any large blizzard's ever occurring after that date.

By March though I feel like sleeping until June. Last 2 years here in the NE I remember March and April with the avg. temp of maybe 60-65 tops.

Though what can I say about this October? It was damn near 90 today! I bet many people would of waited to take vacation now while everything is only 1/2 the price it was in Augest.