What is your definition of an area with four seasons? (school, living in)

[buffy888]

On some city- and/or state-specific boards, I have noticed some people touting the glory of their area by stating that they have four seasons there, indicating they do not perceive some other areas as having four seasons. My question is... what does "four seasons" mean for you individually? (Could have created a poll, but there would be so many possible permutations that it didn't seem practical.)

Examples:

Does your winter have to have snow/ice/bitterly cold temperatures in order to be a "real" winter? Or is it winter because it's Nov./Dec./Jan. and there are cool days as well as some downright cold days and because the days feel so darned short? In science, our 2nd graders learn (through a variety of texts, online resources, trade books, etc.) that winter is the season with the coldest temperatures and shortest days (and summer is the season with the warmest temperatures and longest days). They know that in colder climates - including parts of their own state that are only about 4 hours away by car - snow and ice may occur during winter, but when they define winter in their own words, they don't always include snow and ice in their definitions.

Does spring for you mean when it starts to warm up; when the wildflowers start to bloom; when it starts to warm up to 50s and 60s with maybe a day or 2 in the 70s, but then you have snow predicted the next week; when everything starts to look brighter and greener; when the air feels "fresh" (part of one second grader's personal definition)...?

Do you have to have extremes of temperature (nostril-freezing cold in winter but high 90s in summer) in order to feel that you experience all four seasons? Or do you feel that if there is a clear delineation among the seasons in your area ("Okay, it's winter - on some days I have to wear a coat or jacket; now it's early March and it feels like spring because stuff is blooming and I can wear shorts and sandals on sunny weekend days; hmm, now it's summer because it is h-o-t; and now it's fall because leaves are turning colors and some trees are losing their leaves, plus the air is cooler...") that you also have the four seasons?

Weather is so subjective and can make or break the idea of living in a particular area for some people. Some people love their cold winters but speak negatively about humidity that is any higher than their personal concept of ideal humidity or about humidity that occurs year-round when their opinion of their own personal perfect climate doesn't have that level of warmth/humidity, while others can handle humidity just fine but don't like cold for more than 3 months at a stretch. (I have curly hair, so my feelings about humidity kind of depend on what the humidity is doing to my hair on that particular day.) I'm just curious what the different perceptions about the seasons are out there, plus I told my students I would post questions here and share the results with them.

This is not meant to be a "what city/area has the best weather?" thread; it is really just intended to gauge different ideas of what "four seasons" means to different people.

[jtur88]

Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.

[Trimac20]

I personally think the seasons have a lot to do with changes in vegetation...in that case there is no real Autumn in Perth. I feel Perth has two seasons, hot and dry and cool and wet. I think it goes by temperature...I think a place has to have a January mean of below 10C (50F) to be temperate rather than sub-tropical (that would excluse LA, New Orleans, Savannah, but include Atlanta, San Francisco and Dallas), and summers higher than 18C (65F).

[j33]

Interesting question.
I've always defined winter as being the season with snow and ice, and have difficulty imagining winter without a significant amount of both. I come from a long line of family who is from more northern climates, so I grew up with winter stories of snow, hockey, ice-skating etc. from my parents and grandparents, and it was part of my life too, I can't separate the concept of winter from bitter cold temperatures, piles of snow, roaring fires, and woolen clothing (and temperatures from -10c/15F to 2c/35C). As far as the other seasons, in my mind, spring is cool, and when the flowers come out, when it rains, and occasionally snows, like this past weekend, and one doesn't have to wear gloves and scarves anymore, but still might need that winter coat on occasion. Summer is hot, and sunny, and the only season in which the a/c is occasionally necessary, and then fall/autumn brings back the cool temperatures I prefer. Fall is my favorite season of the year, when the leaves change and the first frost of the year arrives and I can see my breath as I walk out the door.

[uptown_urbanist]

I'd say that for me, anyway, "four seasons" would mean snow in the winter, some leaf color in the fall, a warm (or warmer) summer, and a spring that served as a transition from winter to spring. I've lived in places where this wasn't the pattern, and I would not have described them as "four seasons."

[Unknown Memory]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.

*agrees with this* That is the simplistic answer.

Where I am, it's your basic cycle: 3-4 months of warmer/hot temp/air, 3 months of mild air and change/fall of leaves, 2 1/2 months of cold air plus some snow, 2 1/2 months of mild air and new leaves/flowers. Rinse. Repeat.

If you're in the southern hemisphere, the "wet season" and the "dry season" definitely make it feel like there are two seasons.

[trustmeiknow]

requirements:

snow in the winter, and very cold at least some of the time, everybody gets sick, constant complaining even though you go through this every single year.

flowers emerging in the spring, which you really appreciate because you just had another long winter. people discuss gardening. usually too much rain and a feeling you shouldn't complain because at least the winter is over.

HOT summer, at least some days over 90 degrees. complaints about heat and humidity.

rainbow of colors of leaves in the fall. that icky back-to-school feeling. complaints that people have to start to drag their coats back out.

[Chicago60614]

I don't get why everyone saying you get sick all the time in cold climates. I mean, the actual temperature doesn't make you get sick - germs and viruses do. People tend to get colds when they're in close confinment with people and someone happens to have a virus. I think that's why people might be more inclined to get sick in winter depending on their lifestyle/work environment.

I never get sick in the winter anymore than the summer, and of my office of 70 people, I never notice anyone getting sick more in the winter. People might get colds, etc, but it's not like EVERYONE is just walking around "sick" when it's cold outside all winter.

[Gerania]

"Cold weather really does spread flu"

Cold weather really does spread flu - health - 19 October 2007 - New Scientist

[ilovehuhu]

Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring. I love the city with four seasons..