At seasons are the periods in which the year is divided according to its climatic characteristics.
They exist four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and Winter. They occur over a period of one year.
In some regions, it is not possible to distinguish the seasons of the year, and spring and autumn may not be well defined.
Countries located in the tropical range of the planet do not have the four well-defined seasons, with summer and winter being predominant.
How do the seasons come about?
Seasons vary according to exposure to sunlight, that is, according to the Earth's orbital motion in relation to the Sun. For this reason, the southern and northern hemispheres will always have opposite seasons.
![The seasons of the year](/f/e4ff066f52f6ce91f9d338a8bec87f00.jpg)
O translation movement and the differences in the Earth's inclination relative to the Sun determine the seasons of the year.
While the equinox marks the beginning of autumn and spring, the solstice marks the beginning of summer and winter.
The seasons of the year in Brazil
The seasons of the year occur in certain periods and each one with its own characteristics.
Check out what these characteristics are and the approximate dates of the seasons of the year in Brazil, located in the Southern Hemisphere.
Autumn
![typical autumn landscape](/f/4c6cbeea0025912049ecd5d8d50afb77.jpg)
O autumn follows summer and precedes winter. It is characterized by mild temperature, cooler weather and falling leaves on trees. Initially, the days and nights have the same duration.
However, with time, the days become shorter compared to the night. In addition, the temperature is also falling, marking the arrival of winter.
when autumn begins: March 20.
when autumn ends: June 21th.
Learn more at Autumn Equinox
Winter
![Snow in Southern Brazil](/f/6f34dc4095aa1fcc341b8b4f507d520a.jpg)
O Winter it is the coldest time of the year, when temperatures are low and snow is present in some locations. It precedes spring and follows autumn.
During this period, the nights are longer than the days and the animals are more idle, some even hibernate.
when does winter begin: June 21th.
when winter ends: September 23th.
Spring
![Spring](/f/452fd9107addd891969e44a1797ff08d.jpg)
THE spring follows winter and precedes summer. During this period, temperatures return to mild, flowers bloom and the days and nights have the same duration.
Little by little, the days get longer and temperatures rise, indicating the arrival of summer.
when spring begins: September 23th.
when spring ends: December 22nd.
Summer
![Summer](/f/10b786643641953672c2932c770409db.jpg)
O summer follows spring and precedes autumn, it is a period marked by high temperatures and longer days.
The heat results in faster evaporation of water accumulated in the soil, resulting in constant rainfall.
when the summer starts: December 21.
when the summer ends: March 20.
Seasons in the Northern Hemisphere
In the Northern hemisphere are located the United States of America and Europe, for example. There, the seasons of the year occur at different times:
- Spring: March 20th to June 21st.
- Summer: from June 21st to September 23rd.
- Autumn: from September 22nd or 23rd to December 22nd.
- Winter: from December 22nd to March 20th.
Curiosities about the seasons
Seasons in China
Although located in the Northern Hemisphere, in China there are five seasons of the year: Spring, Summer, Summer (warm periods), Autumn and Winter (cold periods).
Seasons in India
In India, the year is divided into three seasons: hot, cold and rainy.
Seasons of the year at the Poles
The polar regions, North Pole and South Pole, have only two seasons in the year: winter and summer.
Where has it snowed in Brazil?
In Brazil, snow is not very common. However, in several cities it has already snowed. In the southern region, snow is more common and frequent in winter. In the Southeast, in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, snow has also already occurred.
Read our text on this topic for early childhood education: Seasons of the year (child education).
Interested? See too:
- Summer Solstice
- Autumn Equinox