The North Pole is tilted furthest away from the sun. This marks the shortest day of the year and the beginning of the trek back toward spring. The Meteorological Calendar (The Forecaster’s Dates)
This method serves a practical purpose: it allows scientists to calculate consistent seasonal statistics. By keeping the start and end dates fixed, comparing weather data from year to year becomes significantly more accurate. This definition also aligns more closely with how people "feel" the weather. For instance, by June 21 (the astronomical start of summer), many regions have already been experiencing summer-like heat for weeks. when the seasons start and end
The meteorological definition breaks the year into four seasons comprised of three full months each. This system is based on the premise that the "warmest" months constitute summer, and the "coldest" months constitute winter, with transitional periods in between. The North Pole is tilted furthest away from the sun
Under this definition, the seasons represent the "peak" of solar intensity. For example, the Summer Solstice marks the day with the most daylight hours, effectively marking the "start" of astronomical summer, even though it is often referred to as "midsummer" in older cultural traditions. By keeping the start and end dates fixed,