The Two Faces of Time: Astronomical and Meteorological Seasons
This misalignment affects seasonal verification. The Roman calendar originally began in March (spring). Thus, December was indeed the tenth month and fell in the heart of winter months for the seasons verified
| Source | System Used | Hemisphere | Key Month-Season Match | |--------|-------------|------------|------------------------| | NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) | Meteorological | Northern | Summer = June, July, August | | Royal Meteorological Society (UK) | Meteorological | Northern | Winter = Dec, Jan, Feb | | U.S. Naval Observatory | Astronomical | Both | Equinox/solstice dates verified | | Australian Bureau of Meteorology | Meteorological | Southern | Summer = Dec, Jan, Feb | The Two Faces of Time: Astronomical and Meteorological
A verification of this system exposes a peculiar misalignment. The astronomical definition places the solstices at the beginning of the seasons. However, logically and historically, the solstice represents the peak of the sun’s journey. In many ancient traditions (and modern meteorology), the longest day of the year is viewed as Midsummer , not the start of summer. Thus, astronomical verification validates the movement of the sun, but fails to validate the corresponding thermal experience of the season. Months involved: Late June, all of July, August,
If you need a single, universally verified answer to the question “What are the months for the seasons?” use the :