What is winter?

[Stone, William]

If we celebrate March 21st as the first day of spring, and midsummer day as variously June 21st, 22nd or 24th, when does spring end and summer begin? I was told that, here in Illinois, it's Memorial Day when the outdoor public swimming pools open. It seems a reasonable and flexible date and leaves out expert opinion from meterologists and astronomers.
 
Dr. William J. Stone 
Associate Professor 
TESL Program 
Northeastern Illinois University

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From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Amy West
Sent: Fri 2/19/2010 7:18 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: What is winter?



No, it's simply how it's being determined that varies. The Dec. 21 to
Mar. 21 dates are for the astronomical, if you will, season -- the
time between the winter solstice and vernal equinox -- determined by
the earth's position in its annual trip around the sun. The Dec to
Feb dates are for the meterological/climatic season -- temperature,
precipitation, etc.

---Amy West

>Date:    Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:05:52 +0000
>From:    Tom Zurinskas <truespel at HOTMAIL.COM>
>Subject: What is winter?
>
>A newspaper article today quotes a meteorologist of the National
>Weather Service who said that "althought winter officially runs from
>Dec 21 to Mar 21, forecasters mostly define it as Dec through Feb."
>
>Forecasters are changing the seasons.  First I've heard about that.

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