Meteorological spring

Comments

1. harley says

   6 March 2014 at 3:45 pm

   I wonder how long the official “meteorological winter” calendar has been used. It seems odd that the “real calendar” was usurped. . . . . Anyway, I am looking forward to some real spring-like temperatures!

   • Celia says

     6 March 2014 at 4:28 pm

     Hi Harley–

     According to the NOAA web page I linked to, the “meteorological calendar” is used to compare average seasonal temperatures and uses 3-month calendar blocks as a more convenient and consistent way to report statistics by season. (I.e., it’s more of a hassle to conform to the astronomical demarcation of the seasons when it comes to weather reporting, both because the number of days between one equinox and the next differs each year, and because the date of any one equinox can vary from one year to the next.) The astronomical calendar hasn’t fallen into disuse, it’s just that weathermen want the seasons to contain the same number of days each year so that they are statistically comparable.

     Hence “spring” will run from March 1 through May 31, containing the same number of days annually.

     I’m looking forward to spring-like temperatures, too!

2. harley says

   6 March 2014 at 5:53 pm

   Thank you for that information !!

   • Celia says

     6 March 2014 at 6:02 pm

     You’re very welcome. The concept of meteorological spring is a part of the weather hysteria now perpetually gripping society.