CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s officially Winter, but the calendar says the first day of Winter is December 21, and here's why.
Meteorological seasons are based on an annual temperature cycle as opposed to astronomical seasons, which is what you would typically find on an every-day calendar. Well, these seasons are based on the tilt of the earth on its axis as it rotates around the sun.
Meteorological seasons are broken down into groups of three months each. We typically think of Winter as the coldest time of year and Summer being the hottest time of year with Spring and Fall being more so transitional seasons…and this is the general idea of meteorological seasons.
So Meteorological Winter started December 1 and here in Charlotte, our coldest month is January with an average high temperature of 51 degrees.
If you’re wondering why meteorological seasons were even created, well, they’re for record-keeping purposes and also research. Meteorological seasons are also more consistent as opposed to astronomical seasons, which can vary by a few days each year.
So, if you have not made your Winter preparations just yet, it’s time to do so. Remember, astronomical Winter starts December, 21.