Natioanl newspaper gets the seasons wrong

Gegerty

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/here-comes-the-summer-1367551.html

Not the first time I've seen a national newspaper spreading ignorance of the seasons. How annoying is it when people all around you are hearalding the first day of summer on the 1st of May!! I know there is a Celtic calendar but, quite simply, it's wrong. The seasons are dictated by the earths rotation around the sun, now unless the earth rotates differently for Ireland then I don't see how we can have different seasons to the rest of the northern hemisphere. This year summer starts on the 20th of June.

Move me to letting off steam if you like

Hagar

Are you saying that the Summer Solstice marks the start of Summer?
I don't agree, surely it's the midpoint of the season after which the days get shorter?
The start of summer would be half a season before, more or less May 1st.

ch750536

The celtic calendar is correct scientifically, that is, based on the position of the earth.

However, emotionally and ecologically it is wrong as August is much warmer and (dare I say it, summery) than May. September usually brings ,some leaves falling off trees etc so is emotionally Autumn.

Gegerty

Hagar wrote: »

Are you saying that the Summer Solstice marks the start of Summer?
I don't agree, surely it's the midpoint of the season after which the days get shorter?
The start of summer would be half a season before, more or less May 1st.

Yes thats what I'm saying. Summer starts when the sun is furthest north, i.e the summer solstice. It's got nothing to do with temperature, daylight etc. It's dictated by the earths rotation around the sun.

In fact what you are talking about is the cross quarter dates, or midpoints between equnoix and solstice. Yesterday was the cross quarter point known as Beltaine. That is the halfway point between Spring equinox and summer solstice.

Ask anyone outside of Ireland when summer starts. They will laugh at you when you tell them May 1st!! It is a uniquely Irish thing.

mike65

Well Feb 1st is start of spring in Ireland! :eek:

May is spring as stuff is still waking up from winter.

Mike.

Gegerty

mike65 wrote: »

Well Feb 1st is start of spring in Ireland! :eek:

May is spring as stuff is still waking up from winter.

Mike.

Meteorological seasons start on the 1st of the month, which are not the actual seasons but simplified for (i presume) ease of use. i.e its easier to have the seasons evenly divided with 4 seasons of 3 months each. But in actual fact the season lengths differ. But still, it would be 1st June not the 1st of May.

kindredspirit

The seasons according to KS.

Spring: March & April.

Summer: May, June, July & August.

Autumn: September & October.

Winter: November, December, January & February.

Spring and Autumn are transitional seasons so therefore they are naturally shorter and of only two months duration.

The two main seasons are four months long. The fallacy that the seasons should be of equal duration was probably worked out by a mathematics teacher. :eek: :eek:

Danno

For me it is:
Spring begins March 18th
Summer begins May 18th
Autumn begins September 18th
Winter begins November 18th

Gegerty

What is the significance of the 18th? I suppose it is all down to your frame of mind. If you think May is summer then it will be. People will go to the beach even though it is only 18c outside, just because in their mind it is the summer

I am certainly outnumbered but I'm still sticking to my guns. This reminds me of Dec 31st 1999 when the whole world was celebrating the new millenium a year too early :eek: I suppose people will always believe what they are told by the media.

May is actually my favourite month, not because its summer but because it is when everything really springs to life

Danno

Gegerty wrote: »

What is the significance of the 18th?

Probably emotive is the reason (someone gave this as an example earlier in the thread) - because I feel that St Patricks day is the final day of Winter.

Supercell

I've been reading this and trying to decide what each season means to me.

I can only say the following are really the most "seasonal" months in the main.

January is winter, April is spring, July is summer and October is Autumn.

Beyond that our maritime climate means it really is probably best described spring all year round if you come from a northern country that isnt GB or Irl.

Deep Easterly

I have the traditionalist, meteorological view on the seasons. Spring for me is March, April (a detestable month:mad:) & May. Summer-June, July & August; Autumn-September, October and November (my favourate month:)) and so on.

With regards spring though, I always find it colder in March/April than in winter, whether it be reflected in actually temps or not, hence why I hate that drab and depressing season.

Others may not agree...:)

rainbowtrout

For me winter was from sometime last July until about 2 weeks ago

I remember learning in primary school that Spring was February, March, April and Summer was May, June, July etc, but seasons and the climate is changing in general now. I find January, February, March a lot harsher than November and December. June, July and August are my summer.

Incidentally we used to have Bonfire night in Limerick on May Eve for the start of summer and I thought everyone was cracked when I moved to Roscommon and everyone here has it on June 23rd - I've just looked it up and it's St. John's Eve, the evening before the feast day of John the Baptist apparently, but also coincides with summer solstice. Equally they all think i'm mad for suggesting it should be April 30th