Meteorological Winter

December 1st was the start of meteorological winter. That’s how meteorologists, who track temperatures and seasonal patterns, determine the season. In their system, winter is neatly divided into three months: December, January, and February.

But there’s another way to think about seasons, too. Astronomical seasons follow the Earth’s journey around the sun, which means winter doesn’t officially begin until the winter solstice on December 21st. By that method, winter lasts until March 20th.

I’ve always celebrated winter starting on the solstice, but it reminds me that the way we experience seasons doesn't always perfectly follow the calendar. Depending on where you live it might feel different, but here in the Northeast December usually arrives already looking and feeling like winter.