Winter

Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year

Winter
in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after
autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis Temperate season
causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is
oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures
define different dates as the start of winter, and
some use a definition based on weather.

When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is

summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa.
Winter typically brings precipitation that, depending
on a region's climate, is mainly rain or snow. The Forest covered in snow during winter
moment of winter solstice is when the Sun's
Northern temperate zone
elevation with respect to the North or South Pole is
at its most negative value; that is, the Sun is at its Astronomical 22 December – 21
farthest below the horizon as measured from the season March
pole. The day on which this occurs has the shortest Meteorological 1 December – 28/29
day and the longest night, with day length increasing season February
and night length decreasing as the season progresses Solar (Celtic) 1 November – 31
after the solstice. season January
Southern temperate zone
The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates outside
the polar regions differ from the date of the winter Astronomical 21 June – 23
solstice and depend on latitude. They differ due to season September
the variation in the solar day throughout the year Meteorological 1 June – 31 August
caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit (see: earliest season
and latest sunrise and sunset). Solar (Celtic) 1 May – 31 July
season
Summer
Etymology
Spring Autumn
The English word winter comes from the Proto- Winter
Germanic noun *wintru-, whose origin is unclear.
Several proposals exist, a commonly mentioned one connecting it to the Proto-Indo-European root
*wed- 'water' or a nasal infix variant *wend-.[1]

Cause
The tilt of the Earth's axis relative to its orbital plane plays a large role in the formation of weather.
The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.44° to the plane of its orbit, causing different latitudes to
directly face the Sun as the Earth moves through its orbit. This variation brings about seasons.
When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere faces the Sun more
directly and thus experiences warmer temperatures than the Northern Hemisphere. Conversely,
winter in the Southern Hemisphere occurs when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted more toward
the Sun. From the perspective of an observer on the Earth, the winter Sun has a lower maximum
altitude in the sky than the summer Sun.

During winter in either hemisphere, the lower altitude of the Sun causes the sunlight to hit the
Earth at an oblique angle. Thus a lower amount of solar radiation strikes the Earth per unit of
surface area. Furthermore, the light must travel a longer distance through the atmosphere,
allowing the atmosphere to dissipate more heat. Compared with these effects, the effect of the
changes in the distance of the Earth from the Sun (due to the Earth's elliptical orbit) is negligible.

The manifestation of the meteorological winter (freezing temperatures) in the northerly snow-
prone latitudes is highly variable, depending on elevation, position versus marine winds, and the
amount of precipitation. For instance, within Canada (a country of cold winters), Winnipeg, on the
Great Plains (a long way from the ocean), has a January high of −11.3 °C (11.7 °F) and a low of
−21.4 °C (−6.5 °F).[2]

In comparison, Vancouver, on the west coast (with a marine influence from moderating Pacific
winds), has a January low of 1.4 °C (34.5 °F), with days well above freezing, at 6.9 °C (44.4 °F).[3]
Both places are at 49°N latitude and in the same western half of the continent. A similar but less
extreme effect is found in Europe: in spite of their northerly latitude, the British Isles lack non-
mountain weather stations with a below-freezing mean January temperature.[4]

Meteorological reckoning
Meteorological reckoning is the method of
measuring the winter season used by meteorologists
based on "sensible weather patterns" for record
keeping purposes,[5] so the start of meteorological
winter varies with latitude.[6] Winter is often defined
by meteorologists to be the three calendar months
with the lowest average temperatures. This
corresponds to the months of December, January Animation of snow cover changing with the
and February in the Northern Hemisphere, and June, seasons
July and August in the Southern Hemisphere.

The coldest average temperatures of the season are typically experienced in January or February in
the Northern Hemisphere and in June, July or August in the Southern Hemisphere. Nighttime
predominates in the winter season, and in some regions, winter has the highest rate of
precipitation as well as prolonged dampness because of permanent snow cover or high
precipitation rates coupled with low temperatures, precluding evaporation. Blizzards often develop
and cause many transportation delays. Diamond dust, also known as ice needles or ice crystals,
forms at temperatures approaching −40 °C (−40 °F) due to air with slightly higher moisture from
above mixing with colder, surface-based air.[7] They are made of simple hexagonal ice crystals.[8]

The Swedish Meteorological Institute (SMHI) defines thermal winter as when the daily mean
temperatures are below 0 °C (32 °F) for five consecutive days.[9] According to the SMHI, winter in
Scandinavia is more pronounced when Atlantic low-pressure systems take more southerly and
northerly routes, leaving the path open for high-pressure systems to come in and cold
temperatures to occur. As a result, the coldest January on record in Stockholm, in 1987, was also
the sunniest.[10][11]

Accumulations of snow and ice are commonly associated with winter in the Northern Hemisphere,
due to the large land masses there. In the Southern Hemisphere, the more maritime climate and
the relative lack of land south of 40°S make the winters milder; thus, snow and ice are less
common in inhabited regions of the Southern Hemisphere. In this region, snow occurs every year
in elevated regions such as the Andes, the Great Dividing Range in Australia, and the mountains of
New Zealand, and also in the southerly Patagonia region of South Argentina. Snow occurs year-
round in Antarctica.

Astronomical and other calendar-based reckoning

In the Northern Hemisphere, some authorities define the
period of winter based on astronomical fixed points (i.e.,
based solely on the position of the Earth in its orbit around the
Sun), regardless of weather conditions. In one version of this
definition, winter begins at the winter solstice and ends at the
March equinox.[12] These dates are somewhat later than those
used to define the beginning and end of the meteorological
winter — usually considered to span the entirety of December,
In the mid-latitudes and polar
January, and February in the Northern Hemisphere and June, regions, winter is associated with
July, and August in the Southern.[12][13] snow and ice.

Astronomically, the winter solstice — being the day of the year

that has fewest hours of daylight — ought to be in the middle of
the season,[14][15] but seasonal lag means that the coldest
period normally follows the solstice by a few weeks. In some
cultures, the season is regarded as beginning at the solstice and
ending on the following equinox.[16][17] In the Northern
Hemisphere, depending on the year, this corresponds to the
period between 20, 21 or 22 December and 19, 20 or 21
March.[12] In the Southern Hemisphere, winter
extends from June to September,
In an old Norwegian tradition, winter begins on 14 October and pictured in Caxias do Sul in the
ends on the last day of February.[18] southern highlands of Brazil.

In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, including

Australia,[19][20] New Zealand,[21] and South Africa, winter
begins on 1 June and ends on 31 August.

In Celtic nations such as Ireland (using the Irish calendar) and

in Scandinavia, the winter solstice is traditionally considered as
midwinter, with the winter season beginning 1 November, on
All Hallows, or Samhain. Winter ends and spring begins on
Imbolc, or Candlemas, which is 1 or 2 February.[22] In Chinese Sea ice in the Port of Hamburg,
Germany
astronomy and other East Asian calendars, winter is taken to
commence on or around 7 November, on Lìdōng, and end with
the arrival of spring on 3 or 4 February, on Lìchūn.[23] Late Roman Republic scholar Marcus
Terentius Varro defined winter as lasting from the fourth day before the Ides of November (10
November) to the eighth day before the Ides of Februarius (6 February).[24]

This system of seasons is based on the length of days exclusively. The three-month period of the
shortest days and weakest solar radiation occurs during November, December and January in the
Northern Hemisphere and May, June and July in the Southern Hemisphere.

Many mainland European countries tended to recognize Martinmas or St. Martin's Day (11
November) as the first calendar day of winter.[25] The day falls at the midpoint between the old
Julian equinox and solstice dates. Also, Valentine's Day (14 February) is recognized by some
countries as heralding the first rites of spring, such as flowers blooming.[26]

The three-month period associated with the coldest average temperatures typically begins
somewhere in late November or early December in the Northern Hemisphere and lasts through
late February or early March. This "thermological winter" is earlier than the solstice delimited
definition, but later than the daylight (Celtic or Chinese) definition. Depending on seasonal lag,
this period will vary between climatic regions.

Since by almost all definitions valid for the Northern Hemisphere, winter spans 31 December and 1
January, the season is split across years, just like summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Each
calendar year includes parts of two winters. This causes ambiguity in associating a winter with a
particular year, e.g. "Winter 2018". Solutions for this problem include naming both years, e.g.
"Winter 18/19", or settling on the year the season starts in or on the year most of its days belong to,
which is the later year for most definitions.

Ecological reckoning and activity

Ecological reckoning of winter differs from calendar-based by avoiding
the use of fixed dates. It is one of six seasons recognized by most
ecologists who customarily use the term hibernal for this period of the
year (the other ecological seasons being prevernal, vernal, estival,
serotinal, and autumnal).[27] The hibernal season coincides with the
main period of biological dormancy each year whose dates vary
according to local and regional climates in temperate zones of the
Earth. The appearance of flowering plants like the crocus can mark the
change from ecological winter to the prevernal season as early as late
January in mild temperate climates.

To survive the harshness of winter, many animals have developed

different behavioral and morphological adaptations for overwintering:
The snowshoe hare, and
Migration is a common effect of winter upon animals such as some other animals,
migratory birds. Some butterflies also migrate seasonally. change color in winter.

Hibernation is a state of reduced metabolic activity during the

winter. Some animals "sleep" during winter and only come out
when the warm weather returns; e.g., gophers, frogs, snakes, and bats.
Some animals store food for the winter and live on it instead of hibernating completely. This is
the case for squirrels, beavers, skunks, badgers, and raccoons.
 Resistance is observed when an animal endures winter but changes in ways such as color and
musculature. The color of the fur or plumage changes to white (in order to be confused with
snow) and thus retains its cryptic coloration year-round. Examples are the rock ptarmigan,
Arctic fox, weasel, white-tailed jackrabbit, and mountain hare.
Some fur-coated mammals grow a heavier coat during the winter; this improves the heat-
retention qualities of the fur. The coat is then shed following the winter season to allow better
cooling. The heavier coat in winter made it a favorite season for trappers, who sought more
profitable skins.
Snow also affects the ways animals behave; many take advantage of the insulating properties
of snow by burrowing in it. Mice and voles typically live under the snow layer.
Some annual plants never survive the winter. Other annual plants require winter cold to complete
their life cycle; this is known as vernalization. As for perennials, many small ones profit from the
insulating effects of snow by being buried in it. Larger plants, particularly deciduous trees, usually
let their upper part go dormant, but their roots are still protected by the snow layer. Few plants
bloom in the winter, one exception being the flowering plum, which flowers in time for Chinese
New Year. The process by which plants become acclimated to cold weather is called hardening.

Examples

Exceptionally cold
1683–1684, "The Great Frost", when the Thames,
hosting the River Thames frost fairs, was frozen all
the way up to London Bridge and remained frozen for
about two months. Ice was about 27 cm (11 in) thick
in London and about 120 cm (47 in) thick in
Somerset. The sea froze up to 2 miles (3.2 km) out
around the coast of the southern North Sea, causing
severe problems for shipping and preventing use of
many harbors.
1739–1740, one of the most severe winters in the UK
on record. The Thames remained frozen over for
about 8 weeks. The Irish famine of 1740–1741
claimed the lives of at least 300,000 people.[28]
1816 was the Year Without a Summer in the Northern
Hemisphere. The unusual coolness of the winter of
1815–1816 and of the following summer was primarily River Thames frost fair, 1683, with Old
due to the eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia, in London Bridge in the background
April 1815. There were secondary effects from an
unknown eruption or eruptions around 1810, and
several smaller eruptions around the world between 1812 and 1814. The cumulative effects
were worldwide but were especially strong in the Eastern United States, Atlantic Canada, and
Northern Europe. Frost formed in May in New England, killing many newly planted crops, and
the summer never recovered. Snow fell in New York and Maine in June, and ice formed in
lakes and rivers in July and August. In the UK, snow drifts remained on hills until late July, and
the Thames froze in September. Agricultural crops failed and livestock died in much of the
Northern Hemisphere, resulting in food shortages and the worst famine of the 19th century.
1887–1888: There were record cold temperatures in the Upper Midwest, heavy snowfalls
worldwide, and amazing storms, including the Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888 (in the Midwest in
January) and the Great Blizzard of 1888 (in the Eastern US and Canada in March).
 In Europe, the winters of early 1947,[29] February 1956, 1962–1963, 1981–1982, and 2009–
2010 were abnormally cold. The UK winter of 1946–1947 started out relatively normal but
became one of the snowiest UK winters to date, with nearly continuous snowfall from late
January until March.
In South America, the winter of 1975 was one of the strongest, with record snow occurring at
25°S in cities of low altitude, with the registration of −17 °C (1.4 °F) in some parts of southern
Brazil.

In the eastern United States and Canada, the winter of 2013–2014 and the second half of
February 2015 were abnormally cold.

Historically significant
1310–1330: Many severe winters and cold, wet summers in
Europe, the first clear manifestation of the unpredictable weather
of the Little Ice Age that lasted for several centuries (from about
1300 to 1900). The persistently cold, wet weather caused great
hardship, was primarily responsible for the Great Famine of
1315–1317, and strongly contributed to the weakened immunity
and malnutrition leading up to the Black Death (1348–1350).
1600–1602: Extremely cold winters in Switzerland and Baltic Period of Ice Age on Earth
region after the eruption of Huaynaputina in Peru in 1600.
1607–1608: In North America, ice persisted on Lake Superior
until June. Londoners held their first frost fair on the frozen-over River Thames.
1622: In Turkey, the Golden Horn and southern section of Bosphorus froze over.
1690s: Extremely cold, snowy, severe winters. Ice surrounded Iceland for miles in every
direction.
1779–1780: Scotland's coldest winter on record, and ice surrounded Iceland in every direction
(like in the 1690s). In the United States, a record five-week cold spell bottomed out at −20 °F
(−29 °C) in Hartford, Connecticut and −16 °F (−27 °C) in New York City. The Hudson River and
New York's harbor froze over.
1783–1786: The Thames partially froze, and snow remained on the ground for months. In
February 1784, the North Carolina was frozen in Chesapeake Bay.
1794–1795: A severe winter, with the coldest January in the UK and lowest temperature ever
recorded in London: −21 °C (−6 °F) on 25 January. The cold began on Christmas Eve and
lasted until late March, with a few temporary warm-ups. The Severn and Thames froze, and
frost fairs started up again. The French army tried to invade the Netherlands over its frozen
rivers, while the Dutch fleet was stuck in its harbor. The winter had easterlies (from Siberia) as
its dominant feature.
1813–1814: Severe cold, last freeze-over of Thames, and last frost fair. (Removal of old
London Bridge and changes to river's banks made freeze-overs less likely.)
1883–1888: Colder temperatures worldwide, including an unbroken string of abnormally cold
and brutal winters in the Upper Midwest, related to the explosion of Krakatoa in August 1883.
There was snow recorded in the UK as early as October and as late as July during this period.
1976–1977: One of the coldest winters in the US in decades.
1985: Arctic outbreak in the US resulting from shift in polar vortex, with many cold temperature
records broken.
2002–2003 was an unusually cold winter in the Northern and Eastern US.
2010–2011: Persistent bitter cold in the entire eastern half of the US from December onward,
with few or no midwinter warm-ups, and with cool conditions continuing into spring. La Niña
and negative Arctic oscillation were strong factors. Heavy and persistent precipitation
contributed to almost constant snow cover in the Northeastern US, which finally receded in
early May.
 2011 was one of the coldest on record in New Zealand, with sea level snow falling in
Wellington in July for the first time in 35 years and a much heavier snowstorm for 3 days in a
row in August.

Effect on humans
Humans are sensitive to winter cold, which compromises the
body's ability to maintain both core and surface heat of the
body.[30] Slipping on icy surfaces is a common cause of winter
injuries.[31] Other injuries from the cold include:[32]

Hypothermia — Shivering, leading to uncoordinated

movements and death.
Frostbite — Freezing of skin, leading to loss of feeling and
damaged tissue. People enjoying the winter weather
Trench foot — Numbness, leading to damaged tissue and outdoors in Helsinki, Finland
gangrene.
Chilblains — Capillary damage in digits can lead to more
severe cold injuries.
Rates of influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory diseases also increase during the
winter.[33][34]

Mythology
In Persian culture, the winter solstice is called Yaldā (meaning: birth)
and has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is referred to as the
eve of the birth of Mithra, who symbolised light, goodness and
strength on Earth.

In Greek mythology, Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his wife. Zeus

ordered Hades to return her to Demeter, the goddess of the Earth and
her mother. Hades tricked Persephone into eating the food of the
dead, so Zeus decreed that she spend six months with Demeter and six
months with Hades. During the time her daughter is with Hades, Allegory of Winter by Jerzy
Demeter became depressed and caused winter. Siemiginowski-Eleuter with
Aeolus' Kingdom of the
In Welsh mythology, Gwyn ap Nudd abducted a maiden named Winds, 1683, Wilanów
Creiddylad. On May Day, her lover, Gwythr ap Greidawl, fought Gwyn Palace
to win her back. The battle between them represented the contest
between summer and winter.

Old Man Winter

Jack Frost
Ded Moroz
Snegurochka
 Vetr

See also
Cold wave Volcanic winter
Cold-weather warfare Winter festivals (list)
Fimbulwinter Winter City
Global cooling Winter Hexagon
Global warming Winter Olympic Games
Nuclear winter Winter sport
Old Man Winter Winter War
Pineapple Express Christmas
Siberian Express New Year

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Further reading
Rosenthal, Norman E. (1998). Winter Blues. New York: The Guilford Press. ISBN 1-57230-395-
6.

External links
Media related to Winter (category) at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to Winter at Wikiquote
Cold weather travel guide from Wikivoyage
The dictionary definition of winter at Wiktionary
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