10. Seasons and weather Seasons are periods of the year with distinct weather conditions and day lengths

10. Seasons and weather

Seasons are periods of the year with distinct weather conditions and day lengths.

The four seasons — winter, spring, summer, autumn — can vary significantly in characteristics and can prompt changes in the world around them. Here, we explore the seasons of the year in more detail. Attributes of the seasons may vary by location, but there are still broad definitions that cross most of the boundaries.

In the spring, seeds take root and vegetation begins to grow. The weather is warmer and often wetter. Animals wake or return from warmer climates, often with newborns. Melting snow from the previous season, along with increased rainfall, can cause flooding along waterways.

In the summer, temperatures may increase to the hottest of the year. If they spike too high, heat waves or droughts may cause trouble for people, animals, and plants. For example, in the summer of 2003, the high temperatures claimed more than 30,000 lives.

In the autumn, or fall, temperatures cool again. Plants may begin to grow dormant. Animals might prepare themselves for the upcoming cold weather, storing food or traveling to warmer regions.

Winter often brings a chill. Some areas may experience snow or ice, while others see only cold rain. Animals find ways to warm themselves and may have changed their appearance to adapt. “In a similar way to the Autumnal theme, Winter festivals celebrate the return of the light during a time of deepest physical darkness,” said De Rossi. The Indian festival of Diwali, for example, which takes place between October and November, celebrates the triumph of righteousness, and light over darkness.

Although it is easy to imagine the seasons neatly fitting into four equal lengths, according to NPR this isn’t quite the case, they are all slightly different — and their duration changes depending on which hemisphere you are in.

Due to the elliptical orbit of Earth around the sun, at certain points in the year the planet is moving faster and shortening the season. However, the distance from our star has less impact on Earth’s seasons than the planet’s tilt, which means that summers are warm in the Northern Hemisphere despite being further from the sun. As it is moving slower, the spring-summer season is also actually longer, by about seven days.

According to Time and Date:

• 
  Spring: March 1 to May 31;
  

• 
  Summer: June 1 to August 31;
  

• 
  Autumn (Fall): September 1 to November 30
  

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  Winter: December 1 to February 28 (February 29 in a leap year).
  

The time of year a region experiences a season depends on whether it is in the northern or southern hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere experiences winter while its northern neighbors encounter summer; the north sees the slow blossom of spring while the south brings in the autumn harvest.