Winter is characterized by being a season with shorter days, longer nights and lower temperatures, as we move away from the Equator of the Earth. The further an area is from the equator, the colder the temperatures it will experience. Temperatures in equatorial regions remain relatively constant despite seasonal changes, this is because, due to the curvature of the Earth, equatorial areas get more sunlight, according to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. ).
It is the coldest season of the year, no doubt. However, most think that the coldest season begins during the winter solstice, there are two definitions for winter: astronomical winter and meteorological winter.
Thus, the astronomical winter , what we all know or consider as winter, is defined by the position of the Earth around the Sun and varies from the winter solstice to the spring equinox.
The winter solstice marks the time when the Sun passes directly over the equator. In the northern hemisphere, it occurs around December 21 and in the southern hemisphere it occurs around June 21, according to the National Weather Service. We are facing the shortest day of the year and, therefore, it is usually celebrated by a great variety of cultures around the world.
At the time of the winter solstice, the corresponding pole is tilted about 23.5 degrees from the Sun. On that day, in the northern hemisphere, the North Pole is farther from our star, while in the southern hemisphere, it experiences the summer is closer.
On the other hand, meteorological winter starts earlier, spanning the three-month period from December to March, according to NOAA ( National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ) and is based on the annual temperature cycle and calendar, rather than the journey of the Earth around our sun.
