When Does Winter Start?

Winter starts between December 21st and 22nd in the Northern Hemisphere and between March 20th and 21st in the Southern Hemisphere. Meteorologically, it starts on December 1st and June 1st, respectively. According to the lunisolar calendar, it begins around November 7th.

Meteorological Start

Weather determines the seasons, with summer consisting of the warmest months and winter, the coldest months. Meteorologists need an exact length of time for the seasons, so that their recordkeeping is accurate and they can compare data more easily.

A definition was given to the seasons by the Societas Meteorologica Palatina, in 1780. They defined a season as having three months. That is the definition that meteorologists have used since that time. Therefore, winter for meteorologists lasts for three months, starting on December 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and June 1st in the Southern Hemisphere.

Astronomical Start

Solstices occur on the two days of the year when Earth is tilted the farthest away from the Sun, or when it is tilted the closest. The hemisphere tilted towards the Sun will have the longest days (summer), and the hemisphere the farthest away will have the shortest days (winter).

On the winter solstice, the length of the day is the shortest of the year, and the night, the longest, and that signals the start of the season. During the solstice, the position of the sun at noontime seems to be the same. Hence the term derives from the Latin “solstitium,” from the word “sol” for sun and the word "stitium” meaning “stoppage.”

In the Northern Hemisphere, winter starts between December 21st and 22nd. In the Southern Hemisphere, it begins on March 20th or 21st. For example, the solstices for 2010 are June 21st at 7:28 a.m. EDT and December 21st at 6:38 p.m. EST.

Chinese Calendar Start

The unisolar calendar bases the months on lunar cycles and the years on the solar cycle. It consists of 24 “solar terms” with the seasons being based on the equinoxes and solstices. These terms are evenly spaced along the ecliptic (the Sun’s path across the sky). The length of the terms varies according to the Sun’s speed which changes depending on how far it is from the Earth. So, the date for the start of winter changes, with winter beginning around November 7th. This calendar has been used by people in China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.

Understanding Seasons

There would be no seasons were it not for the tilt of the earth on its axis. This angle of tilt remains fixed as the Earth revolves around the Sun. This causes part of the Earth to receive the Sun’s rays directly during part of the year. The portion of the Earth getting those more direct rays would be experiencing summer.

The word “season” comes from the French word, “seson” which was the time of sowing.

Fall

The Latin word “autumnus,” meaning “harvest time of plenty” gave us the word autumn. The word “fall” is also used for the autumn season. It was used as a synonym for autumn in England beginning in the 16th century.

Winter

The name for winter has two possible roots; the German words that mean “water” or “wet” and the Celtic origins of the word “white.” The word “winter” is most certainly derived from the Old English word “wintar.”

Summer

Summer comes from the German root words “sam” and “sem” which stood for “summer.”

Spring

Spring refers to new plants that spring up during that season, from the Old English “springan” meaning “leap and burst forth.”

Change is Good

Regardless of what date you consider the start of winter or what word you consider the root word for "winter," the key is to enjoy the change in the season. Going into winter you can enjoy the slow down of nature as it weathers the colder temperatures and waits for spring. Coming out of winter you can look forward to the warmer weather and the regeneration of life.