What is winter?

[David A. Daniel]

Here's the news flash from Rio de Janeiro (located firmly and squarely in
the Southern Hemisphere, just a couple clicks north of the Tropic of
Capricorn. Well, OK, where the Tropic of Capricorn is still reported as
being, not where it actually is now):

December 21: Northern Hemisphere winter solstice, our summer solstice;
March 21: Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox, our autumnal equinox;
June 21: Northern Hemisphere summer solstice, our winter solstice;
September 21: Northern Hemisphere autumnal equinox, our vernal equinox.
(Dates approximate, within a day or so)

So, when the world ends on December 21, 2012, we will all be on the beach
and, in fact, according to the prophecies, we won't actually be affected at
all; it's going to be a Northern Hemisphere problem. Which is a good thing
from my point of view. Any of you NH'ers who survive 2012 are invited for
Carnival 2013.

As to what is winter: A couple years ago - in June or July, i.e., winter -
the local main newspaper ran an article warning about an impending cold
front and advising on what to do about it. It advised not letting the kids
out of the house unless absolutely necessary and, if they had to go out,
make sure they are bundled up and protected from the cold. There were
recipes for assorted hot teas and other surviving-cold-weather hints. Any
sniffles, don't take a chance: get to the doctor right away. Thing is, they
were expecting a protracted period, like four or five days, of temperatures
in the low sixties Fahrenheit (yep, like 17 Celsius). Winter is as winter
does...
DAD

___________________________________________
If anybody out there still thinks Sarah Palin is not a retard, tell it to
the hand...

Astronomical seasons are the same hemisphere-wide (Northern or Southern),
but the hemispheres are half a year out of phase with each other. No?

m a m

On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 12:07 AM, James Smith
<jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com>wrote:

> Meteorologists define seasons differently than astronomers.  I'm currently
> involved in an appeal concerning a mine permit, and one of the issues that
> has been raised is whether astronomical or meteorological seasons are the
> referent for "seasonal".  Astronomical seasons are the same worldwide:
> meteorological seasons vary with longitude, latitude, altitude, and other
> local factors; hence, many "two season" jokes are meteorologically sound.
>
> James D. SMITH               |If history teaches anything
> South SLC, UT                |it is that we will be sued
> jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com   |whether we act quickly and
>                                    decisively
>                             |or slowly and cautiously.
>

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