When does winter end, what happens on the solstice and when does summer 2020 start?

WINTER is a season known for bringing cold weather, freezing temperatures and on the odd occasion snow.

But when exactly does the season end and when is the winter solstice?

When does winter start?

Meteorological winter

In calendar terms, winter begins on December 1 and ends on February 28 (or 29 February on leap years).

This is also known as the meteorological winter.

This year, Northern Hemisphere winter starts on Sunday, December 22 and ends on Friday, March 20, 2020.

However, traditions in some countries can alter this definition.

In Scandinavia, winter in one tradition begins on 14 October and ends on the last day of February.

But normally the seasons are divided in three-month chunks as follows: winter is December-February, spring is March-May, summer is June-August, and autumn is September-November.

This is of course flipped on its head in Southern Hemisphere countries like Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, where winter is 1 June to 31 August.

Astronomical winter

The astronomical season depends on the date of the winter solstice, meaning the date comes three weeks later and can vary slightly from year to year.

This year the solstice falls on December 22 for the first time in four years.

Winter solstice can occur on any date between 20 and 23 December but generally fall on the 21st of the month.

The astronomical winter will last until March 20, 2019, the date of the spring or vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.

When's the shortest day of the year?

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year with the fewest hours of daylight.

It most commonly comes on 21 December — at which the Northern Hemisphere is at its furthest from the sun.

But this year it falls the day after, on December 22.

In London the day is only seven hours and 49 minutes on the solstice — while further north in Edinburgh it is just six hours 57 minutes long.

After that date, the days slowly start to lengthen again.

When does summer 2020 start?

Meteorologist usually refer to the astronomical summer, which is defined by the Earth's axis and orbit around the Sun, when discussing the first day of summer.

The astronomical calendar establishes the season by the 23.5 degrees of tilt of the Earth's rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the Sun.

In the year 2020 summer begins on Saturday, June 20 and ends on Tuesday, September 22, according to the Met Office.