Quote:
Originally Posted by Pincho-toot
What are your favourite months and least favourite months for each season?
For the sake of this thread, lets stick to meteorological definitions.
|
I'll be sticking to the proper astronomical seasons over the garbage meteorological seasons
. So most years that's March 20 to June 21 for spring, June 21 to September 21 for summer, September 21 to December 21 for fall, and December 21 to March 20 for winter, all perfectly in line with the sun.
My criteria for what constitutes favorite to least favorite is not the same as everyone else's because I take my weather monitoring so seriously. It's not a simple matter of favorites to least favorites because some years a given time of the year can be either the most or least favorite depending on how good or bad the weather monitoring is.
Below is the criteria for all parts of the year that can make that part of the year my favorite or least favorite. A TL;DR is that good Southeast US weather=favorite, bad=least favorite.
Starting in spring because that's what we are currently in:
-March 20-approximately the start of May. I am not the biggest fan of this time of spring because the peak of the weather monitoring type I was mainly doing (Interstate 20 and 10 in the Southeast US and south) has passed, this time of year's primary weather monitoring (Interstate 40ish last frosts and warm April for the Southeast US) pales in comparison because of how short term it is in comparison, and I could do without the consistency of the usually cool, dreary weather.
The exceptions are years like this when the Southeast US has an above average April with no dumb frost backloads, the part of March post-spring equinox delivers some good results, and we have nice weather, the latter of which is almost unknown.
-May. No major weather monitoring going on here but I am usually a big fan of this time of year because it finally looks and feels like spring with blooms, sunshine, longer days, and pleasant to warm weather (which funny enough often starts in the ballpark of the halfway point between March 20 and June 21. Victoria Day holiday is a bonus.
It's fun to monitor the Southeast US too to see if they get an amusing well below normal May cold snap that is actually some FUN well below weather to enjoy as my list is frostproof in May.
-Pre-summer solstice June. Usually like this time of year a lot as well for the extra long days and pleasantly warm weather, only bug is waiting on seriously pool-worthy heatwaves that don't usually come until after the solstice.
There is also some more weather monitoring beginning - although it's not as important as Southeast US winter monitoring, I like to monitor a variety of Canada and US climates from Alaska and the Territories to Newfoundland to the Southeast back again to see how hot they can get that season and the monitoring starts then a bit before the solstice (although for Newfoundland it's really last frost monitoring). Mood booster time of year on the whole.
-Post-solstice June to mid July. One of the most reliably good times of the year in my opinion, as it strikes the best balance between solstice-tier long days and sufficient pool-worthy heat
. Only in summers like 2014 and 2017 is it not really enjoyable.
The weather monitoring above continues.
-Late July to late August. Retains the heat but the days are getting shorter, so don't like this as much as the above. Still solid though due to retaining the heat.
Weather monitoring for heatwaves can often peak here. Additionally, in late August is when I resume first frost monitoring, but for places like Fairbanks.
-September, or at least a good chunk of it, prior to the fall equinox. Quite nice and summery pool weather remains no matter how much anyone wants September not to be summer
, and I very much enjoy getting in the last swims of the year in the still-warm water.
Heat monitoring continues, and about a week before the fall equinox I add places in Canada/US Northwoods like Timmins and International Falls to first frost monitoring.
-Post-equinox September. Not a particularly big fan of this compared to the above part of September because it is not pool weather anymore, but I do still like its weather overall and it is when monitoring really picks up.
It is also often the prime time of determination for whether my Northwoods monitoring is any good. The ideal is to go into October so that they get their first frost in a full fall month, and years like 2021 are AWESOME (where literally nowhere on my list got frost before October 1 and all but 1 October 17 or later, setting many all time records).
-First 2 weeks of October. On October 1 more weather monitoring picks up (Atlantic Canada monitoring starts, I like to see how far it can go without a frost in fall due to the strong seasonal lag and 2022 was a great year for this with places as cold as Gander not getting frost until November).
The weather generally starts getting stereotypically October like with leaf changes beginning around Thanksgiving too
, and with this weather and this holiday makes this an almost always very enjoyable time of the year
. Plus Southeast US monitoring picks back up, although it isn't time for the biggie yet I like seeing how hot they stay into this month.
-Remainder of October. Still pleasant, I like to see how long the pleasant weather continues in our neck of the woods (and this time is often when the Atlantic Canada results are in).
Southeast US heat monitoring continues, with a small uptick in fear. Although it's freak weather, the occasional year like 2022 can produce unbelievably dumb October first frosts taking official cold hole airport sites off the lists well before they should be
, the primary criteria for good Southeast US monitoring in this part of October is lack of nighttime cooling off (which 2020 that I missed had, and 2021 to an extent had it which I caught).
-November 1-December 21. This part of fall has one of THE biggest determining factors behind it as to whether it will be one of my favorite or least favorite times of fall, and as it also is the beginning of a 5 month long annual ritual that is the determiner as to whether those 5 months are any good or not, the local weather takes a serious backseat to this.
What, you ask, is this so important annual ritual? As you may have figured out, it's my infamous Southeast US weather monitoring!
The overall criteria for a good weather monitoring season are as follows:
1) Longer than usual frost free season. As goes first frost, the bare minimum good date for a first frost (usually I-20 southward and east of I-95 up to about the Outer Banks) is December 1 (so I can have at least a month of safe monitoring after starting on November 1), and the ideal date is December 21 or later (so there is no frost until or after the start of winter).
I would say this is the most important of the criteria to be achieved, simply because out of everything that is to be achieved it is the most fun monitoring for an unbroken streak, and what better unbroken streak to monitor for than frost?
2) Less frosts than usual within this time period, and no colder than usual. I would say the no colder than usual part is more important simply because I have yet to experience it while I have experienced less frosts than usual at its expense.
3) Above average weather, ideally record breaking monthly heat to accompany the frost free season. This isn't an absolute necessity (I would sacrifice it for good frost monitoring ofc), but is nice as something to see in the absence of frost.
Sometimes however, excess heat is not desirable. It can open the door for a dumb backload later down the line.
I would say the 2 seasons (2021-22 and last season) I have done serious weather monitoring in have featured these to an extent, but not as much as I'd have liked ideally. Seasons I was dimly aware of/did less monitoring of like 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 featured some too, very much so in the first especially.
Now for the weather around this time of year in my neck of the woods! Even without the massive potential outlined above, it would still take a backseat.
There are still a handful of nice 9-10C+ days, but November and pre-solstice December are generally cool and cloudy and not much to locally enjoy weatherwise. Exceptions include waiting upon the first snowfall and good snowfall of the season (always magical when it is seen) and satisfying reminders that most of December is still fall (since pre-solstice December is generally cool instead of cold, does not get particularly cold during cold snaps, and does not really pack snow).
Holidays though, I looooooove the holidays
! The Christmas buzz in December is a great mood brightener and is so much fun to engage in
, so this is a definite nice time of year for me in at least 1 aspect.
-December 21-31 (aka the actual winter within December). The Southeast US weather monitoring continues as intense as can be, with an extra aspect added in at this point.
Operating alongside the criteria outlined above is:
4) The coldest day of the season must not be any colder than usual at the bare minimum, ideally being above the usual.
As years like 2017 and 2022 have taught me, this can easily be a time to watch for the coldest weather of the season within the Southeast US. Otherwise, aside from places that have had frost already (if any), I like to see how many will get frost only in the next year or even none at all that winter!
Weather here is more exciting
. Getting colder with a greater chance of snow, and I hope for a white Christmas AND New Year's (both of which of course add loads of holiday fun to this period).
-January. This is the part of the winter where ALL the Southeast US monitoring aspects may be in play - depending on the year, I can be monitoring for any combination of January or later first frosts or going the winter with no frosts (as I was in 2022 for places like Gainesville), monitoring for December last frosts (as I was this year after the Christmas cold which places like Beaumont delivered on), monitoring for heat (as I was this year as well), or monitoring for the coldest temperature of the season (like I was in 2022).
Absolute crossroads and has the potential to deliver a mix of good and bad, although the bad that can be delivered does not seem to be as bad as the good that can, so overall I'd say this has good results
. Here as well is almost always good, we are looking at a solid winter month with appreciably cold weather and snow that I can usually look forward to except in years like this, and it's always nice seeing snowy January landscapes
.
Last but not least I do some relatively minor weather monitoring for us. As a quintessential 4 season Dfa/Dfb I want our coldest temperature of the year to be in the negative 20sC, and reaching this is ideal otherwise we run the risk of overlapping with Cfa climates.
-February 1-March 20. This final part of the winter can be a real dealmaker or dealbreaker as goes the Southeast US weather monitoring, it is usually when multiple determining factors are at play. Criteria for this part of the year is as follows with 2) already applying:
5) Good last frost date. I monitor to the end of March, so the bare minimum good last frost date is February 28/29 (so I can have at least a month of safe monitoring like with first frosts), and the ideal is February 20-23 or earlier (depending on the year, it is so I can have at least 3 months worth of safe monitoring in accordance with my ideal winter solstice or later first frost).
6) No backloading factors. I am making this as a requirement in light of years such as 2017, 2018, 2022, and this year, which all featured something during February that allowed for a dumb March backload which ruined a lot of last frost monitoring - although not all were equally disastrous, the basic theme is frostless Februaries due to the Southeast Ridge setting the stage for glorious January last frosts followed by dumb March frosts that happen due to the Southeast Ridge in February.
7) Similar to 3), it is nice to have some record breaking heat during this time period. BUT it is absolutely not necessary and if it will lead to a backload than it is undesirable.
Some examples of when this heat fits in well is 2015 (the cold snap in February leading to a toasty March), 2016 (the heat was largely there at the start of March and didn't lead to a backload until many places were too warm for frost), 2020 (the February 22 2020 cold front allowed the Southeast Ridge to do well in March), and this year (although there were some dumb backloads, they were not as bad as in other years, and a number of December-February last frosts are happening this season).
Our local weather is nothing to write home about relative to January, still very snowy and appreciably cold. Also has great reminders that March pre equinox is winter due to its cold, snow, and shorter days than nights. I do like waiting on the first 9-10C+ nice days though.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
