Tomorrow Is the 'Meteorological' Middle of Winter...

I don't know, where I live (SE Michigan, USA if you're interested), weathermen say that for them, the Spring begins March 1st. (For you board members from other countries, in the United States we assume that Spring begins on the Vernal Equinox. Don't ask me to explain it .)

Anyway, that would mean that from a purely meteorological perspective, January 15th would be the middle of Winter. No? Which means, whew, Winter will be half over tomorrow. Prove me wrong. Because YMMV.

Hey, you know, actually, that brings up a good point. When does Spring begins where you live? Vernal Equinox? Or sooner? Or later?

I think that I once read it begins in early February in the UK. But that doesn't sound right. You know in the USA, February is the dead of winter, behind only January as the coldest month of the year.

 

From a meteorological perspective there is a seasonal lag between the shortest day of the year (about Dec 21) and the coldest time of the year. It varies by location and here in the Pacific Northwest the coldest week is the last week of December….in the Midwest it is 3to 4 weeks later.

 

i have always considered the equanoxes and solstices to be the hynges or midpoints of their seasons with their beginnings and endings half way between them.
most of the places i've lived, seasonal weather patterns have tended to follow this.

 

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