Awesome Calendar Seasons

A season is a year’s division, marked by changes in weather, ecology and hours of daylight, a result from the yearly orbit of the Earth around the Sun and in the term of Astronomy, the axial tilt named by astronomers as obliquity, is the angle between a rotational axis of an object and its orbital axis, or, equivalent to the angle between its equatorial plane and orbital plane. The seasons are marked by changes in the sunlight’s intensity that reaches the surface of the Earth in temperature and polar regions, that season variations which cause some animals to hibernate or to migrate, and plants to be dormant. The northern hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight because the hemisphere faces the sun during the months of May, June and July. While the southern hemisphere faces the sun in November, December and January. It is the Earth’s axial tilt that causes the Sun to be higher in the sky during the summer months, That increases the solar flux or radiant power is the total power measurement of electromagnetic radiation, that includes infrared, ultraviolet and visible light. The months of June, July, and August are the hottest months in the northern hemisphere and December, January, and February are the hottest months in the southern hemisphere due to seasonal lag or occurence caused by the large amount of water, which has a high latent heat of freezing and of condensation, and the length varies between different climates, with extremes ranging from 15 or 20 days for summer season in the polar regions to as much as 2½ months, for low-latitude ocean areas. Four calendar-based seasons, in temperature and subpolar regions, they are generally known as spring (vernal), summer (estival), autumn (autumnal), fall and winter (hibernal).  The hot regions have two or three seasons, the rainy season or wet or monsoon season and the dry season, and, in some tropical countries, they have cool or mild season. The hurricane season, tornado season or the wildfire season, are defined special seasons in some parts of the world, based on important events.

In some countries, they have six seasons which do not have fixed calendar-based dates like the meteorological and astronomical seasons. In mild temperature regions, they tend to experience the starting of the hibernal season up to a month later than the areas with cool temperate, while the seasons of prevernal and vernal starts up to a month earlier. Prevernal crocus blooms as early as February in British Columbia‘s mild coastal areas, the British Isles and western and southern Europe. Each season’s actual dates vary by the region’s climate and can change from annually or the coming year. The average dates shown here are for the Northern Hemisphere’s  mild and cool temperate climate zones, such as, Prevernal (early or before spring), starts February or late January (mild temperate), March (cool temperate). Deciduous tree buds begin to swell. Migrating birds fly from winter to summer habitats. Vernal (spring), starts March (mild temperate), April (cool temperate). The buds of the tree blooms into leaves. Birds establish territories and begin mating and nesting.  Estival (high summer), starts June in most temperate climates. Trees in full leaf, and birds hatch and raise offspring.  Serotinal (late summer), starts mid to late August. Deciduous leaves begin to change color. Young birds reach maturity and join other adult birds preparing for fall migration.  Autumnal (fall): Generally begins mid to late September. Tree leaves in full color then turn brown and fall to the ground. Birds migrate back to wintering areas. Hibernal (winter), starts in December (mild temperate), November (cool temperate). Deciduous trees are bare and fallen leaves begin to decay. Migrating birds settled in winter habitats.

There are six season or called, Ritu in tropical and subtropical India, in the Hindu calendar, that are calendar-based in the sense of having fixed dates, such as Vasanta (spring) start at mid-March and ends in mid-May, Greeshma (summer) mid-May to mid-July, Varsha (monsoon) start at mid-July to mid-September, Sharad (autumn) mid-September to mid-November, Hemanta (early winter) mid November to mid-January, and Shishira (prevernal or late winter) mid-January to mid-March. The six seasons in the Hindu calendar, are ascribed to two months each of the twelve months.

Winter is the season between autumn and spring, and the coldest season of the year in polar climates and temperature climates. Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which is the half of the Earth that is north of its equator, and the word hemisphere, means literally half sphere. And that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator, also known as the Southern Hemisphere, which contains parts  of five continents, such as Antarctica, Australia and about 9/10 of South America, the southern third of  Africa, and some southern islands in Asia, four oceans such as the Indian, South, Atlantic, Southern and South Pacific and most of Oceania. The Asian continental mainland and its several islands off are also in the Southern Hemisphere. Due to the tilt of Earth’s rotation relative to the Sun and the ecliptic plane, the summer season starts in December to March and winter is from June to September, caused by the Earth’s axis in that hemisphere being oriented away from the sun. Winter starts in different dates defined by different cultures and some define the season based on weather, but when it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Winter is associated with snow and freezing temperatures in many regions. The period of winter solstice for the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, is when the elevation of the sun with respect to the North or South Pole during its most negative value if the sun is at its farthest below the horizon as measured from the pole. The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates outside the polar regions differ from the date of the winter solstice, but these depend on latitude, due to it variation in the solar day of the the year caused by the elliptical orbit of the Earth. The season’s coldest average temperatures are usually experienced in Northern Hemisphere in the month of January or February and in Southern Hemisphere during the month of June, July or August. During the winter season, nighttime predominates and in some regions winter has the highest rate of water cycle as well as prolonged dampness because of  snow covering or high precipitation rates coupled with low temperatures, and evaporation. Blizzards often cause many transportation delays. The Diamond dust also known as a ground-level cloud composing of tiny ice crystals, also known as ice needles, simply made of ice crystals that are hexagonal in shape. People are sensitive to cold, and other health issues associated with snowy weather and exposure to extreme coldness can cause hypothermia, Snowblindness, norovirus, seasonal depression, slipping on black ice and falling icicles. It is not unusual for homeless people to die from hypothermia in the winter in the Northern Hemisphere .

Migration or bird and animal migration, is the seasonal movement often moving from North to South along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds, which is a common effect of winter to animals. specially birds. But majority of birds do not migrate, only some bird species such as the cardinal and European Robin. There are also some butterfly species that migrate seasonally.

Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression or low metabolic rate in endotherms, referring to heterothermy season characterized by low body temperature, slow breathing and heart rate. Although commonly animals reserved for deep hibernators such as rodents, during the season of winter they are in a state of reduced metabolic activity. During winter, some animals sleep and only come out when the warm weather returns starts during Spring to summer season, such as gophers, frogs, snakes and bats.

Some animals, instead of hibernating completely, they commonly store food for the winter and live on it. Animals store food for the winter were squirrels, beavers, skunks, badgers and raccoons. 

One of the four conventional temperate seasons after the season of winter, is called Spring season and preceding the hot season of summer. Spring varies in technical definitions, but the term local usage varies according to local climate, cultures and customs. In Northern Hemisphere, when it is spring, it will be autumn or fall in the Southern Hemisphere. The four seasons in many climatic areas is defined by meteorologists as, spring, summer, autumn (or fall) and winter, and these seasons are demarcated base on the values of their average temperatures on a monthly basis, with each season lasting three months. Summer is defined as the three warmest months  the three coldest months are winter and spring and autumn is the intervening season’s gaps. Spring, when defined, in different regions and it can start on different dates. Spring months in terms of complete months, in most north temperate zone locations, are March, April and May, though from country to country the differences exists, such as Summer is June, July, August, and  autumn is September, October, November, and  winter is December, January, February. But in the south temperate zone locations, mostly have opposing seasons with spring in September, October and November. Swedish meteorologists define starting of spring as the first occasion on which the average daytime temperature exceeds zero degrees Celsius for seven consecutive days, though the date varies with latitude and elevation. Spring conventionally starts on September 1 and ends November 30 in Australia and New Zealand, while in Estonia celebrates Spring Day on May 1. In Iran, they celebrate Spring day at March 21 which is known as Nowruz or Iran’s New Year. On September 21, Argentina celebrates the starting of spring, one or two days before the actual spring equinox, which also marks Student’s Day. In Albania, they celebrates the lunar Spring Day, or in Alabanian terms Dita e Verës or Dita e Luleve, on March 14, and since 2004 it is a national holiday, an old pagan practice, particularly popular in the city of Elbasan, Central Albania. The elderly of Albania, leave the door open as a sign of generosity, a pitcher filled with fresh water and take home a clump of green grass on the morning of March 14. The young children fertilizes the orange and olive trees, but the babies are the first to make the lucky visits to neighbors and relatives who give them turkey legs, dried figs and nuts. Finally lunch, should be eaten outdoors in the company of friends and relatives. In Melbourne, Australia, they celebrate the Spring Racing Carnival of thoroughbred racing horses held in October and November, attended by locals and tourists. In Bangladesh, the Spring season is a festive time, and  people celebrate this season with newly reaped paddy, where villagers make various types of pitha breads to entertain guests. The first spring festival of the new year is carnival, 40 days before Easter in some regions and Asia. Among the temperate season, Summer is the warmest, falling between spring and autumn. The days are longest and the nights are shortest, during the summer solstice with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice. This definition of summer, meteorological also aligns with the commonly experience notion of summer as the season with the longest and warmest days of the year, which predominates daylight. Austria, Denmark, the former Soviet Union and Japan used the meteorological reckoning of seasons, and also used by many regions in the United Kingdom. The summer months in Ireland, according to the national meteorological service, Met Éireann meaning Meteorology of Ireland, are June, July and August. However, summer starts on May 1, according to the Irish Calendar and ends on August 1. In Ireland, school textbooks, follow the cultural norm of summer commencing on May 1 instead of the meteorological definition of  June 1, which summer is traditionally associated with hot weather.

It is also associated with dry weather, in the Mediterranean regions, while in other countries, in Eastern Asia particularly, due to Monsoon, it is associated with rainy weather. The period of vegetation growth within the savanna climate regime is during the wet season. Savanna climate or Tropical savannah are most commonly found in Africa, Asia, South America and also prevalent in sections of Central America, northern Australia and southern North America, specifically in Mexico regions and the state of Florida, U.S. where the wet season is associated with a seasonal changes in the prevailing winds, known as a monsoon. Distinct tropical cyclone season occurs from June 1 to November 30 in the northern Atlantic Ocean , and the statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is September 10, while in the Northeast Pacific Ocean has a broader period of activity, with a similar time frame to the Atlantic. The Northwest Pacific experience tropical cyclones almost the whole year, with a minimum in February and March and a peak in early September. Storms are most common from April to December,  in the North Indian basin, with peaks in May and November. The tropical cyclone season runs from November 1 until the end of April with peak season in mid-February to early March in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the United States and Canada, the thunderstorms season runs in the spring through summer. These kind of storms can produce hail, strong winds and tornadoes, commonly occur during the afternoon and evening. Summer officially starts on December 1 and ends on February 28 and 29, in Australia and New Zealand. The Faroe Islands’ biggest summer festival known as  Ólavsøka, also a cultural and sports festival with football games, boat races, and other events, celebrated on July 29, and also this day, when the Faroese Parliament of Logting opens its session. Midsummer, also known as St John’s Day, is the period of time centered in the summer soltice, specifically the celebrations of Northern European that take place on a day between June 21 and June 25 and following evening, though in different cultures, the dates vary. Summer in the Christian Church designated the feast day of St John the Baptist on June 24 and the St John’s Day observance begins the evening of June 23rd, known as St John’s Eve, commemorated by many Christian denominations. The Midsummer in Sweden, is such an important festivity that make the National Day of Sweden the Midsummer’s Eve, instead of June 6, and may also be referred to as St. Hans Day.

In Bulgaria, the Midsummer day, Bulgarians celebrate the so-called Enyovden, and performed a fire-related ritual on that day, it involves barefoot dance on smoldering embers and is known as Nestinarstvo. Enyovden is the beginning of summer according to Bulgarian folklore, and believed that when the sun rises in the morning of Enyovden, it winks and plays, and anyone seeing the sunrise will be healthy throughout the year. The Bulgarian’s also believed that on Enyovden a variety of herbs have the best healing power, and that this is especially true at sunrise, and so Bulgarians have to be picked early in the morning before dawn, because the sorceresses and enchantresses go to gather herbs by themselves to cure and make charms. The herbs collected and keep for the winter must be 77 and a half, for all kinds of diseases. The solstitial celebration in Denmark, is called sankthans or sankthansaften  or the St. John’s Eve. It was the Danish tradition of celebrating a holiday on the evening of June 23, which was an official holiday since 1770. These days, where the medieval wise men and women, which played as the doctors of that time, would gather special herbs that they needed to cure people’s diseases for the rest of the year. In ancient times, Yarrow herbs has been used for healing wounds, and its essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties, and also used as a ward against evil spirits, and burned on St John’s Day as a tradition.

Tiregân also known as Jashn-e Tiregân or The feast of Tiregan, is an ancient Iranian festival coinciding with the mid summer festivalscelebrated on the 13th day of the month of Tir, the 4th month of the Persian calendar, which equates in the Gregorian Calendar in the 2nd or 3rd of July, in which the festival celebration is experiencing a resurgence among the Iranians. Most Iranians celebrate this occasion with dancing, singing, reciting poetry and serving spinach soup and sholeh zard, and during this celebration children and adults rejoice by swimming in streams and splashing water on each other. During the feast of Tiregan, tying rainbow-colored bands on their wrists, is one of the Iranian’s custom, which are worn for ten days and then thrown into a stream, is also a way to rejoice for children.

The summer season in the United States according to calculation by cultural festivals, is commonly regarded as the start of Memorial Day weekend or the last weekend in May, and ending on the first weekend in September or the Labor Day weekend, closely in line with the meteorological definition for the country’s that have four-season weather. The Canadian tradition starts summer on Victoria Day one week before, although across Canada’s territory, summer conditions vary widely and ends, as in the Labor Day in the United States.The season Autumn, also known as fall in the United States and Canada, and one of the four temperate seasons, which marks the transition from summer into winter, in September in Northern Hemisphere, or March in Southern Hemisphere, when during the night becomes earlier and the temperature cools considerably. One of autumn or fall’s  main features is the shedding of leaves or falling leaves, from deciduous trees as they pave way for further growth. Meteorologists and some of temperate countries in the southern hemisphere, based on months, use a definition with autumn September, October and November in the northern hemisphere, and March, April and May in the southern hemisphere. Autumn is usually considered to start with the September equinox in North America, and end with the winter solstice starts December 21 or 22. Autumn starts on or around August 8, in traditional East Asian solar term and ends on about November 7. The autumn months in Ireland, according to the Met Éireann or the national meteorological service, which means, Meteorology of Ireland, are September, October and November, but then, according to the Irish Calendar, based on ancient Gaelic traditions, autumn lasts from the months of August, September, and October, or sometimes a few days later, depending on tradition. Autumn in Australia and New Zealand officially begins on March 1 and ends on May 31.

Leaf peeping or leaf peepers is an informal term for people who travel to see and photograph the fall foliage or falling leaves in areas where leaves changes colors, particularly in New England, (a region in the northeastern corner of the U.S. consisting of the six states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut). In Japan, who have similar custom, it is called Momijigari from the Japanese momiji red leaves or maple tree and kari hunting, is the Japanese tradition of visiting scenic areas where leaves have turned red in the autumn, also called kōyō, another pronunciation for momiji characters or also known as kanpūkai.  The Leaf Peeper term is used both with appreciation, for those whose businesses benefit from the millions tourists, that pour into New England each fall and with disdain or from those who have to use the roads that are popular with leaf peepers.

Autumn is associated with the Halloween season, influenced by a Celtic autumn festival called Samhain, In most parts of the US, autumn season has also a strong association with the start of a new school year, specially for children in primary and secondary education. Autumn in Indian mythology is considered to be the preferred season for Saraswati, the goddess of learning, also known as goddess Sharada or the goddess of autumn. Deciduous trees changes colors in leaves, colored autumn leaves is noted in various regions of the world, most of North America, Eastern Asia China, Korea and Japan), Europe, Patagonia forest, parts of Australia and South Island in New Zealand, Eastern Canada and New England are famous for their autumn foliage, which attracts major tourism for the regions, worth billions of U.S. dollars. The association of transition from warm to cold weather, with related status as the main harvest season, dominating its themes and popular images. Personifications of autumn are commonly beautiful, females adorned with fruits, vegetables and grains that ripen at this time in Western cultures. Autumn harvest festivals often is the most important on their calendars in many cultures, which still exists during the autumn Thanksgiving holiday of the United States and Canada, and Sukkot holiday among the Jewish, with its roots as a full-moon harvest festival of tabernacles (that lives in outdoor huts around the harvest period). Most foods are harvested during the autumn, which is associated with the season such as pumpkins (which are integral parts of both Thanksgiving and Halloween and apples, which are used to make the apple cider seasonal beverage.

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated mainly in the United States and Canada as giving thanks for good harvest and blessings of the preceding year. Similar celebrations are observed in many other countries around the world which is in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, while in Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, and has been celebrated worldly. The Harvest Thanksgiving Festival, or Erntedankfest, celebrated in early October, by German Christian festival, which has a significant religious element to it, however, like its North American counterpart, celebrated with large harvest dinners mostly of autumn crops and parades. The Oktoberfest‘s Bavarian beer festival, generally takes place within the vicinity of Erntedankfest. The Oktoberfest had become a world-famous festival since 1960s, foreigners began to picture Germans as wearing the Sennerhut, Lederhosen and the girls in dirndl, a traditional dress worn in Germany, especially in Bavaria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and South Tyrol, based on the Alpine peasants’ historical costume.