How do you divide the seasons?

[TryingToSeeTheFunnySide]

I always think of the seasons in four increments of three months each -

Spring - March, April, May
Summer - June, July, August
Autumn - September, October, November
Winter - December, January, February

I know in this country, the weather can be wildly varied at pretty much any time of year; but, still, in terms of daylight hours etc, I think of the way described above.

I ask because a friend the other day described last weekend as summer. I said I see May as late spring. If we're having hot May days they're just hot spring days. We're back down to circa 12°C now, so the hot spell was short-lived; but I was curious to know how other people see it?

Same as you 👍

I agree with you op, May is definitely Spring.

Same as you op

Same as you. May is Spring, with warm and cool days to be expected.

I remember once reading that we should expect August to be rainy in the UK for certain meteorological reasons, but I can't remember what!

Thank you. Good to know I haven't been incorrect all these years!
I think because I love spring as a season, I didn't want to think it's over!

Exactly the same as you.

1st May is the first day of Summer for me.
It's the traditional system here in Ireland and the start of each season has an associated festival. Samhain marked the end of summer/start of winter on 1st Nov, for example. It's still celebrated as Halloween on 31st Oct.

Our Met office sees things a bit differently now and marks the seasons as you do OP, but the traditional way is what's still taught in schools here.

I think the issue is the discrepancy between light and heat during the year. It takes time for things to warm up so the longest, brightest days don't coincide with the warmest.

I'm a spring and autumn person 😊

I do it as you do but my colleagues in Ireland follow a Celtic calendar system

Late August definitely feels autumnal, and late May often has the best summer weather. The seasons don't coincide with calendar months.

Well the weather lady on our regional channel said "We are still in Spring", when the presenters were bemoaning that it had turned cooler this week.
I also divide the season's like you.

Yes, same as you op.

May is the all round best month imo. Closely followed by April.

Either way, I love Spring. Nicer weather, plants and flowers in full bloom, baby animals everywhere...what's not to like!

Yes, I just love spring. Far prefer it to summer. Summer often feels a bit much.
I actually love autumn too. The colours, the fruitfulness, the sun lowering.
I can't decide which I prefer out of the two?!

That's interesting. Until a few days ago I don't think I'd ever heard anyone describe May as summer. I've always thought of it as spring, albeit later spring. But, obviously some people see it as summer.

Same as you but nowadays the weather is so random, I can’t see why it matters.

Doesn't really matter. I just wondered if I'd got it wrong all these years?!
Also, as a spring lover, I didn't like to think we were no longer in its throes! 😊

I looked this up once, and found your system is called the meteorological seasons, OP. There was a bit more information about how people used to divide the year into just summer and winter, especially in the Scandinavian countries, but I don't remember more than that.
The system they use on the continent and in the US, where the seasons start with the solstices and equinoxes, is called the astronomical system.

Quite similar to you but mine would be

Spring - May
Summer - June 7th-12th
Autumn - June 13th- September, October, November
Winter - December, January, February, March, April

That's interesting. Is it farming related?
I take it the seasons are not of equal lengths if summer starts in May and winter in Nov. Is autumn just sept, Oct?

😂

No, they're equal lengths, 3 months each. Autumn is August, Sept, Oct.

(Winter Nov, Dec, Jan
Spring February, March, April.
Summer May, June, July)

It makes more sense from the point of view of light and daylight hours than it does from a temperature perspective.

Since last year I have amended things to just two seasons.

April to September slightly warm rain season
October to March cold rain season

When I think about it in my head I'd agree with you but a touch offset - early September often still feels like summer. I think officially it's offset quite a bit.

Apparently the first day of spring this year was 20th March and it runs to 20th June. Something to do with equinoxes. Then apparently autumn starts between 20th-24th September!

When I still had my horses the seasons were divided thus:
Winter - mud
Spring - too much grass, horse gets ill with laminitis
Summer - flies
Autumn - have to fence off all the oak trees as acorns are poisonous

We had a bit of sun last week, so that was summer. I assume we're in autumn now.