Tired of gloomy winter days and cold, people look forward to the arrival of spring. And now, on the calendar is the long-awaited March, the first month of the thaw season, but the weather changes only slightly and little by little.
Willy-nilly, one has to wonder about why spring comes so late. It does not fit in 3 months and passes quickly, and summer and autumn turn out to be long. This question is relevant for many, and scientists are ready to give an exhaustive answer to it.
Calendar season and solar ecliptic
Seasons change according to the movement of the Sun across the sky, and its full annual path is called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is divided into 4 sectors, 90 degrees each. The time during which the sun passes a certain sector, and is the time of the year, calendar 3 months. However, such a harmonious system can only be observed on paper. In fact, the seasons do not have equal duration. Indeed, during each year, the speed of movement of our planet in its orbit is not equal.
The maximum proximity to the Sun, and therefore the highest speed of movement, is recorded on January 2. That is why the shortest fall and winter can be observed in the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, summer and autumn are the longest. Accordingly, in the Southern Hemisphere the situation is strictly opposite, here summer and autumn are shorter than winter and spring.
On the calendar, each of the seasons has its own borders. However, the practical situation shifts them somewhat, as well as the peaks of the seasons. So, in the Northern Hemisphere, the temperature maximum of the season falls not in July, as it would be logical, but in early August. The minimum temperature values fall at the end of January.
It is worth noting the influence of the atmosphere, which slows down temperature inversions. After the summer solstice passes, the planet begins to receive less and less heat and light every day. However, the heated surface gives up the accumulated heat, thermal radiation is reflected by the surface. The atmosphere prevents rapid cooling, keeps the temperature, and therefore some cooling begins to be observed only by August. Cooling is slow.
The same applies to the period of the winter solstice - immediate warming after it does not occur either due to the atmosphere, as well as snow on the surface of the planet, general low temperatures. Warming is delayed for a while and also occurs slowly.
Other factors that affect temperatures and season changes
Considering factors that can slow down the onset of spring even more, or vice versa, accelerate its coming, it must be borne in mind that solar activity is not always the same. As you know, the luminary “lives” in 12-year cycles, within which its own decline in activity and its upsurge occur. Also, an increase or decrease in activity may be spontaneous.With a low activity of heat and light, less is generated, which can affect the weather and the rate of change of seasons.
Interesting fact: the more spots on the sun, the more active it is, and the more heat and light it emits. When there are no spots, activity is recorded low.
Weather on the planet can be formed due to other factors, small climate changes occur constantly. So, only a few centuries ago, such colds came that the Mediterranean Sea froze, but today this does not happen. Various local weather anomalies can also bring closer or delay the time of spring.
Thus, spring comes later than the calendar value due to the fact that the seasons do not have equal duration. Winter and spring in the Northern Hemisphere are shorter than autumn and summer. In addition, various external factors can extend the time of cold weather or accelerate the onset of spring.
