When Does Winter Begin?

That’s a question which can have 2 answers!

The day in the calendar marking the first day of winter usually refers to the astronomical seasons, which are the result of the Earth’s axis and orbit round the Sun. This year, astronomical winter begins on 21st December and ends on 21st March 2021.

However, the Meteorological Office splits the year into 4 seasons, each lasting 3 months. By the meteorological calendar, winter always starts on 1st December and ends on 28th February (29th in a leap year).

What all of this means is the seasons we are familiar with by the calendar are astronomical, and the seasons the weatherman/lady talks about on the news are meteorological.

Check out these cool facts about winter, and let’s count our blessings, winter lasts 21 years on Uranus!