Summer

Summer is a season, defined by convention in meteorology as the whole months of June, July and August in the Northern hemisphere and the whole months of December, January and February in the Southern hemisphere. The first day of summer in the Northern hemisphere is either June 21 or June 1 (the former is the astronomical start, the latter the meteorological). Summer is commonly viewed as the season with the longest (and warmest) days of the year, in which the daylight predominates, through varying degrees. In the northern latitudes, twilight is known to last at least an hour, sometimes leading to the famous white nights found in St. Petersburg and Scandinavia.

Related Topics:
Season - Meteorology - June - July - August - December - January - February - June 21 - June 1

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It is also called the season of the Midnight Sun in the north Pole as well in Iceland.

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For many people in the West, the seasons are considered to start at the equinoxes and solstices in an "astronomical" sense. However, due to the phenomenon of seasonal lag, the "meteorological" season lags about a month behind the "astronomical" season. Today, the "meteorological" definition is most common, but in the past the "astronomical" definition was more frequent, and some people today still prefer it. Elsewhere, however, the solstices and the equinoxes are taken to mark the mid-points, not the beginning, of the seasons. In Chinese astronomy, for example, summer starts on or around May 6, with the Jiéqì known as ?? (lì xià), i.e. "establishment of summer".

Related Topics:
Seasonal lag - Astronomy - May 6 - Jiéqì

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In most countries, kids are out of school during this time of year, although dates vary. Some begin in June, although in the UK, from the ages of 5-16, school ends in the middle of July.

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Summer is also the season in which many fruits, vegetables, and other plants are in full growth.

Related Topics:
Fruit - Vegetable - Plant

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