10 Coolest Facts About Winter

10 Coolest Facts About Winter

The planet is under the chilly grip of winter, which rules as the transformational enchantress in the world of the seasons. There is a tangible sense of expectancy as the days get shorter and the air gets crisper. Winter invites us to observe nature’s delicate dance of transition with its frost-kissed vistas and ethereal quiet.

The world transforms into a canvas painted with peace and awe when it is covered with a fresh blanket of glittering snow. Beautiful snowflakes delicately pirouette while sparkling icicles dangle from trees like nature’s own chandeliers.

Each snowflake is a singular work of art. From the thrill of sledging down snow-covered hills to the cosy comfort of crackling fireplaces and hot mugs of cocoa, winter has a variety of delights within its reach. Welcome to a time of year when enchantment can be heard in the breeze and nature takes a break.

1. Winter is largely caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis concerning its orbital plane

Winter sunset with trees and snow — 24 of 33.jpgMaritess Sulcer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Different latitudes confront the Sun directly as the Earth travels through its orbit because the Earth tilts to the plane of its orbit, which is 23.44°. The seasons are a result of this variation. The Southern Hemisphere receives warmer temperatures during winter than the Northern Hemisphere because it faces the Sun more directly.

On the other hand, winter sets in in the Southern Hemisphere when the Northern Hemisphere is inclined closer toward the Sun. The highest altitude of the winter Sun is lower than the maximum altitude of the summer Sun as seen from Earth.

Due to the Sun’s lower altitude during winter in both hemispheres, sunlight strikes the Earth at an oblique angle. As a result, less solar radiation per square meter of Earth’s surface.

Additionally, the atmosphere can dissipate more heat since the light must travel a greater distance through it. The fluctuations in the Earth’s distance from the Sun (caused by its elliptical orbit) have little impact in comparison to these impacts.

2. The process of measuring the winter season is called a meteorological reckoning

Windbuchencom.jpg Richardfabi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The beginning of meteorological winter varies with latitude because meteorologists utilize this approach of measuring the winter season based on “sensible weather patterns” for record-keeping purposes. The three months of the year with the lowest average temperatures are frequently called winter by meteorologists.

In the Northern Hemisphere, this corresponds to December, January, and February; in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the months of June, July, and August.

The months of January or February in the Northern Hemisphere and June, July, or August in the Southern Hemisphere often have the lowest seasonal average temperatures. Winter is mostly a nighttime season, and in some areas, either to persistent snow cover, high precipitation rates, or low temperatures that prevent evaporation, winter has the highest rate of precipitation as well as continuous wetness.

3. St. Martin’s Day is the first calendar day of winter

Winter forest silver.jpg Ernst Vikne, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The feast day of Saint Martin of Tours is observed on November 11 each year by the liturgical calendar as Saint Martin’s Day or Martinmas, sometimes referred to historically as Old Halloween or Old Hallowmas Eve. It was a significant event in many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era, especially in Germanic-speaking areas.

It signalled the conclusion of the harvest season, the start of winter, and the “winter revelling season” in these areas. Festivities include drinking the first wine of the year, mumming, and eating “Martinmas goose” or “Martinmas beef.”

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4. Ecological calculating of winter differs from the calendar-based calculation

CathedralofLearningLawinWinter.jpg Benjamin Hollis from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By avoiding the use of set dates, ecological calculating of winter differs from the calendar-based calculation. We embrace a more flexible and sensitive concept of winter by adopting ecological reckoning. It invites us to interact with the minute variations and nuances of the natural world, fostering a greater understanding of how ecosystems and seasons are intertwined.

This strategy serves as a gentle reminder that the timing of winter’s arrival is not set but rather a complex dance choreographed by nature. Ecological reckoning aligns itself with the natural rhythms and ecological indicators of the environment rather than relying on fixed dates to designate the beginning and end of winter.

The term “hibernal” is commonly used by ecologists to refer to this time of year. Prevernal, vernal, estival, serotinal, and autumnal are the other five biological seasons.

In temperate zones of the Earth, the hibernal season always corresponds with the primary period of biological dormancy, whose dates change based on local and regional temperatures.

In moderate temperate settings, the emergence of flowering plants like the crocus can signal the transition from ecological winter to the prevernal season as early as late January.

5. Some annual plants never survive the winter

Safari marigold (red) 10.jpg Mmrsafy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

An annual plant is one that goes through its entire life cycle, from germination to seed production, in a single growing season before dying. Geographical differences can affect the duration and timing of the growing season, which may not match the four conventional seasonal divisions of the year.

An annual plant is one that goes through its entire life cycle, from germination to seed production, in a single growing season before dying. Geographical differences can affect the duration and timing of the growing season, which may not match the four conventional seasonal divisions of the year.

Sunflowers, marigolds, zinnias, petunias, basil, and other annual plants are famous examples that cannot survive the winter. During the warmer months, these colourful flowers and herbs add colour and flavour to gardens, but they cannot endure frost or freezing temperatures.

Since their entire life cycle takes place in a single year, they are vulnerable to the harsh winter weather, which will cause them to perish until they are transplanted or protected in the upcoming growing season.

6. Humans are sensitive to winter cold

Woman praying during winter (Unsplash).jpg Ben White benwhitephotography, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Winter cold affects humans more than other animals, which makes it difficult for the body to retain both core and surface heat. Injury in the winter is frequently caused by slipping on icy surfaces. Hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, and chilblains are among further cold-related injuries. Additionally, throughout the winter, rates of the flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses rise.

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7. January and February are the coldest months of winter season

Winter-Regnitz-PC310004.jpg Ermell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The months of January or February in the Northern Hemisphere and June, July, or August in the Southern Hemisphere often have the lowest seasonal average temperatures. This is because, in the northerly snow-prone latitudes, the manifestation of the meteorological winter (freezing temperatures) varies greatly depending on elevation, position versus marine winds, and the amount of precipitation.

This causes permanent snow cover and high precipitation precluding evaporation. Nighttime is sure to be dominant during the winter also. 

8. Blizzards frequently form during winter

Blizzard3 – NOAA.jpg NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A blizzard is a severe snowstorm that lasts for a long time—typically at least three or four hours—and is marked by strong sustained winds and low visibility. When snow is not falling but rather loose snow on the ground is lifted and blasted by strong winds, the weather is called a “ground blizzard.” Blizzards can be quite large and frequently cover hundreds or thousands of kilometres.

When the jet stream dips far enough south in the United States, cold, dry polar air from the north can collide with warm, humid air moving up from the south, forming storm systems strong enough to produce blizzards.

The deadliest snowfall in recorded history, the 1972 Iran blizzard claimed 4,000 lives according to reports. It blanketed 200 communities in its 26 feet (7.9 m) or more of snowfall. A region the size of Wisconsin was completely covered in snow during a period of snowfall that lasted over a week.

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9. Great Blizzard of 1888 is the most severe blizzard in the American History

Brooklyn blizzard 1888.jpg NOAA Photo Library/Historic NWS Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

One of the worst blizzards ever recorded in American history, the Great Blizzard of 1888 occurred between March 11 and 14, 1888. The storm rendered the Canadian Atlantic provinces and the East Coast of the United States immobile from the Chesapeake Bay to Maine.

Parts of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut experienced snowfall ranging from 25 to 147 cm, while persistent winds of more than 72 km/h caused snowdrifts to exceed 15 m.

People were forced to stay inside their homes for up to a week while railroads were shut down. The inability to use railway and telegraph lines led to the relocation of this infrastructure underground. During this blizzard, emergency services were also compromised.

10. The winter of 1880–1881 is widely considered the most severe winter of the US

Edvard Munch – Øvre Foss in Winter (1881-82).jpg Edvard Munch, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In many regions of the United States, the winter of 1880–1881 is regarded as the worst ever. It snowed so much during the first blizzard in October 1880 that two-story residences received accumulations rather than drifts up to their second-floor windows.

Deep snow so early in the season had no one prepared. With their fields unharvested, the grain that had been gathered unmilled, and their suddenly crucial winter wood fuel inventories barely half collected, farmers from North Dakota to Virginia were left in a bind.

Due to human encroachment, winter, with its seductive charm, has encountered its fair share of difficulties. Nevertheless, despite these flaws, the season continues to be a symbol of nature’s tenacity. It serves as a reminder of the fine line we must walk while balancing growth and preservation. Let the beauty of winter serve as a reminder to be cautious, to recognize the vulnerability of our ecosystems, and to work to preserve the treasures that this season has to offer.

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