A year is marked by ecological and weather changes. Sometimes the weather is very cold while other times it is moderate or very hot. There are three distinct seasons in a year; winter, summer, fall (autumn), and spring. However, some parts of the world experience only dry and cold seasons. The four seasons are a result of the tilt Earth’s axis. As the Earth tilts on its axis, the different parts are exposed to the sun’s rays. Some parts of the globe are directly hit by the rays while other parts are hidden from the sun. Winter is the coldest season of the year while summer is the hottest season. There is no specific date on the Gregorian or any other calendar when the summer starts. Also, the onset of summer varies widely with the location of a place. However, Summer Solstice or June 21 is generally regarded as the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

　　

Understanding The Summer Season

Summer is the season of the year that falls just after spring and before the onset of autumn (fall). It is the hottest season of the four temperate seasons of the years. However, it is the wettest season with plenty of rains in some regions. In the Northern Hemisphere, summer is usually the period between the summer solstice and equinox. There are longer days during summer solstice while days and nights are equal during the autumnal equinox. So, the days tend to be longer than nights when the summer season kicks in but the day length decreases as the season progresses. When it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, then it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa.

　　

Summer Dates

Although there is no specific date on which the summer starts, it is very much possible to tell when this hottest season of the year will begin as the start depends on when the sun reaches its extreme point from the equator. Although solstices and equinoxes would be considered as the middle of respective seasons, astronomical summers usually begin at the beginning of solstice. Summer solstice, also known as midsummer, occurs around June 20 to 22 and around December 20-23 in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres respectively and the autumnal equinox, which marks the end of summer, occurs on September 22 or 23 and March 20 or 21 in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere respectively.

　　So, the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere starts around June 20 and ends around September 23 and December 20 and ends around March 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2019, the summer season (in the Southern Hemisphere) begun on Sunday, December 22, 2019, and will last until Friday, March 2020. However, in 2020, the summer solstice will occur on June 20, 2020, marking, the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

　　

Weather Pattern During Summer

Traditionally, summer is a warm or hot season of the year. In the Mediterranean, the season is associated with dry weather while in Eastern Asia it is associated with a lot of rain because of the monsoon. In the northern Atlantic Ocean, summer is characterized by tropical cyclones that peak around September 10. The tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific also peak in early September. In the United States and Canada, thunderstorms runs from spring through to summer or as late as November. The storms can be accompanied by strong winds, hails, and tornados.