Meteorologists and climatologists use a different system. They break the seasons into three-month groupings based on the annual temperature cycle rather than the Earth's tilt. This makes it easier to keep consistent climate statistics. In the , the meteorological seasons are: Spring: March 1 – May 31 Summer: June 1 – August 31 Autumn: September 1 – November 30 Winter: December 1 – February 28 (or 29 in a leap year)
Table_title: When Is the First Day of Spring 2026? Table_content: header: | Year | Spring Equinox (Northern Hemisphere) | Spring E... The Old Farmer’s Almanac Show all Spring (Vernal Equinox): Begins March 20. Summer (Summer Solstice): Begins June 21. Autumn (Autumnal Equinox): Begins September 22 or 23. Winter (Winter Solstice): Begins December 21. BBC +4 2. Meteorological Seasons: Keeping It Simple Meteorologists and climatologists use a simpler system based on the annual temperature cycle. They split the year into four 3-month periods that align perfectly with the calendar months. BBC +3 Standard Meteorological Dates (Northern Hemisphere): Spring: March 1 to May 31. Summer: June 1 to August 31. Autumn: September 1 to November 30. Winter: December 1 to February 28 (or 29). The Old Farmer’s Almanac +3 North vs. South: A Mirror Image It’s important to remember that seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. When the Northern Hemisphere is tilting toward the sun (Summer), the Southern Hemisphere is tilting away (Winter). The Old Farmer’s Almanac +3 Season Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere Spring March – May September – November Summer June – August December – February Autumn September – November March – May Winter December – February June – August Why the difference? The
If you’ve noticed that Spring sometimes starts on March 20th and other times on the 21st, there are three main reasons: when do the four seasons start and end
Here is everything you need to know about when the four seasons begin and end, why the dates shift, and the two different ways we measure time. 1. The Astronomical Seasons (The Calendar Dates)
Our calendar adds a day every four years to "catch up" with the Earth's actual orbit, which pushes the equinox/solstice dates back. Meteorologists and climatologists use a different system
Beyond these two systems, other definitions exist:
| Season | Northern Hemisphere Dates | Southern Hemisphere Dates | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Spring | March 1 – May 31 | September 1 – November 30 | | Summer | June 1 – August 31 | December 1 – February 28/29 | | Autumn | September 1 – November 30 | March 1 – May 31 | | Winter | December 1 – February 28/29 | June 1 – August 31 | In the , the meteorological seasons are: Spring:
The confusion usually stems from the difference between what we feel and what the astronomy dictates.