Why winter is cold

After all, given that the world is getting warmer, how can it also be colder than usual in your backyard? Temperature records show that the Earth has warmed a little more than 1 degree Celsius 2 degrees Fahrenheit since Yet short-term variations in weather, such as cold snaps — rapid drops in air temperature that result in consecutive days of colder-than-average weather — are still occurring. To understand how record-cold events can exist in a warmer world, consider an event from winter Temperatures plunged below minus degrees Fahrenheit, with wind chills in the neighborhood of 60 degrees below zero.

The first thing to understand about seasons is that in the southern hemisphere the southern half of the earth , the seasons are opposite of the northern hemisphere the northern half of the earth. Understanding how seasons work in different hemispheres helps us explain a common misconception.

Many people incorrectly think that the earth is further away from the sun in the winter, therefore making it colder. This is not the case.

If seasons were determined by the distance of the sun our heat source to our planet, then the southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere would have the same seasons at the same time. Instead, seasons are explained by the tilt of the earth. Our planet sits at a As the earth travels around the sun in its day journey, some parts of the surface point directly at the sun at different times.

When the northern hemisphere is pointed toward the sun, sunlight hits more directly, and it warms up this part of the earth. This makes winter cold! Looking for more Never Stop Asking "Why? Catch up on all of the past "Why's" on the blog! Mask Policy Update: Masks are required indoors for all visitors ages 2 and older.

Currently logged out. Current Members Educators. Today's Hours : 10 am—5 pm. Indoor: 10 am—5 pm Outdoor: Closed for the season. Maybe we should be asking why it is so warm during winter in the UK, but that's a topic for another time.

Planet Science. Advanced Search. Under 11s. Over 11s. Over 11s Natural world. Human body. Physics IS fun! Science celebrities. Chemistry Chaos. Your article is good, but only applicable to your location you describe.

We could just as easily ask why is February Hot this time of year. Or am I being too picky about astronomy? Wondering who the photographer is for that fascinating photo of the blizzard over water, at the top of this article. Hi, LiftS, Thank you. The photo comes from our stock library and is free to use if you wish.

Sincerely, your OFA editors. Skip to main content. You are here Weather Update. Why February Is Cold. By Michael Steinberg. February 9, About This Blog.