Josh Classen: It's the last weekend of summer. Here's why

EDMONTON -

When it comes to seasons, there are two types: meteorological seasons (which make sense weather-wise) and astronomical seasons (which are based on the sun).

Meteorologically, this will be our last weekend of summer because autumn will begin next Wednesday.

Astronomically, there will be four more "summer" weekends before the equinox.

 

But, answer me this — do you consider the first three weeks of June to be more or less "summer-y" than the first three weeks of September? I sure do.

However, astronomically, they're not.

Meteorological seasons, on the other hand, line up better with the weather and start at the beginning of months. That makes June, July and August summer.

Following that, September-October-November are autumn and December-January-February are winter.

(Astronomically, winter wouldn't actually start until just before Christmas!)

 

If meteorological seasons make so much more sense, how did we end up with the astronomical seasons?

Well...astronomical seasons are calculated using the earth's orbit around the sun and the tilt of the earth's axis.

That orbit and tilt mean the sun's most direct rays are over different parts of the earth at different times of the year.

Astronomical summer and winter start at the solstices, when the sun's most direct rays are at their further point north or south.

The autumn and spring equinoxes are the point when the sun's most direct rays cross over the equator.

Those are important dates, for sure.  But, as I pointed out earlier...it makes more sense weather-wise to go with the meteorological seasons.

 

So...enjoy the last few days of meteorological summer! Autumn starts on Wednesday.