Understanding when the four seasons start and end can help us appreciate the beauty and rhythms of nature. Whether you're in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, we hope this guide has been helpful in planning your activities and staying connected to the world around you.
This is a critical point that is often overlooked. When it’s summer in New York or London, it’s winter in Sydney or Buenos Aires. The seasons are exactly six months apart.
If you ask five different people when the seasons start and end, you might get five different answers. Some swear by the solstices and equinoxes, looking to the stars for the definitive "first day." Others argue that March 1st is the obvious start of spring, as it aligns with the rhythm of the temperature charts. Surprisingly, both are correct.
In the Southern Hemisphere:
There are two primary methods used to define the seasons: the astronomical system and the meteorological system. Here is everything you need to know about when the four seasons start and end. Astronomical vs. Meteorological Seasons
Meteorologists (weather scientists) divide the year into four neat seasons made up of three full months each. This makes calculating weather statistics and averages much easier.
The Earth's axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbital plane around the Sun. As the Earth orbits the Sun, its axial tilt causes the amount of sunlight that reaches the planet to vary throughout the year. This variation in sunlight leads to the changing seasons. when do the four seasons start and end
It is a common misconception that the seasons "shift" by six months everywhere. They do. If you are reading this in Sydney, Australia, or Cape Town, South Africa, you must invert the dates.
Starts exactly on March 1 ; ends on May 31 .
For those in the Northern Hemisphere (e.g., North America, Europe, much of Asia), the dates are: Astronomical Dates (2026) Meteorological Dates March 20 – June 20 March 1 – May 31 June 21 – September 21 June 1 – August 31 September 22 – December 20 September 1 – November 30 December 21 – March 19, 2027 December 1 – February 28 2026 Seasonal Dates (Southern Hemisphere) Understanding when the four seasons start and end
The start and end dates for the four seasons depend on whether you use the astronomical (sun-based) or meteorological (temperature-based) calendar. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Northern Hemisphere Dates (2026)
The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year (and the longest night). It marks the moment when the North Pole is tilted farthest from the sun. Interestingly, while this is the "start" of winter, it is also the turning point where days slowly begin to lengthen again. Winter ends on the following year’s spring equinox.
Astronomical seasons are the traditional seasons most people are familiar with. Because a year is not exactly 365 days, the precise dates of the solstices and equinoxes can shift by a day or two each year. Spring (Vernal Equinox to Summer Solstice) March 19–21 Ends: June 20–22 When it’s summer in New York or London,
works best with consistent, full-month blocks (Meteorological).
You may hear people say that seasons actually begin "mid-month" (e.g., February 1st marks the start of Spring in some Celtic traditions).
