We’ve always wondered if meteorologists — the prognosticators of weather so frequently jeered and abused for inaccurate predictions — lived in some kind of alternate universe. It turns out, they aren’t even operating on the same seasonal calendar as the rest of us.
On the Gregorian calendar, the change of seasons falls on the 21st or 22nd of March, June, September and December, correlating with astronomical solstices and equinoxes. Meteorologists (and the continent of Australia, apparently) operate on the notion of three-month seasons that start on the first of the month, basically for record-keeping purposes. Instead of autumn being Sept 22-Dec. 21, they count Sept. 1 through Oct. 31. Winter is December through February, spring is March-April-May, etc.
Much like the metric system of measurement, the meteorological calendar seems logical. No wonder we haven’t adopted it.
If nothing else, acknowledging meteorological fall gives us a good excuse to haul out our autumn decor a few weeks early.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com