The answer is here: It is all about the tilt of the Earth’s axis!
Climate and its influence on ecosystem
Hey folks! We hope that you are doing good and are comfortable in this cold climate of winters. Let us discuss a bit about different seasons today. Yes, those same seasons which you’ve studied about in your primary classes. These different climates have a different impact on the ecosystem.
What makes summers hot and winters cold?
Can you wear your Sleeveless T-shirt while going out in winter, or can you wear your hoodie in summer? Of course not. You will catch a cold in case of winters, and chances for a heatstroke due to internal and external heat factors are there in summers if the above situation happens. You probably know what causes the seasons to vary, such as the earth’s revolution around the sun, but have you ever considered what makes winters frigid and summers scorching hot? Don’t worry if you don’t know what causes hotness in the summer and coldness in the winter; today’s blog will explain all you need to know. So let us start the blog with a bit about our planet and the star, which contributes to 99.8% of the solar system’s mass, the sun.
First of all, let us learn about the two hemispheres, the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, and other mandatory terms.
Northern Hemisphere: The Northern Hemisphere locates north of the Equator of the globe. It is home to around 90% of the world’s people and the majority of the planet.
Southern Hemisphere: The hemisphere south of the Equator is known as the Southern Hemisphere.
Equator: At 0 degrees latitude, the Equator is an invisible line that crosses the earth’s centre. At 0 degrees latitude, it is midway between the North Pole and the South Pole. The world divides into two halves by an equator: the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
North Pole: The Geographic North Pole, also known as the Terrestrial North Pole, is present in the Northern Hemisphere, where the planet’s axis of rotation intersects its surface.
South Pole: It is similar to the North Pole except for its presence is in Southern Hemisphere.
Many people believe that the earth is colder in winter because it is further away from the sun in this season. It is not the case at all. If seasons were to be regulated by the distance between our planet and the sun, both the southern and northern hemispheres would experience the same seasons simultaneously. However, this is not the case as there are different temperatures at different locations on earth.
This thinking can also be scientifically proven wrong as the planet is closest to the sun in January when winters are running and vice-versa in the July season when summers are running.
The answer to the title of this blog is because the earth’s axis is tilted. Our planet tilts in orbit at a 23.5-degree angle. Some sections of the earth’s surface point straight at the sun at different periods during its 365-day voyage around the sun.
The sun’s rays strike the earth at an acute angle during the summer. Because the light does not spread out as much, the quantity of energy that reaches any specific location increases. In addition, the long daytime hours give the earth plenty of time to warm up.
The sun’s rays impact the earth at a sharp angle during the winter. These beams disperse in a more widespread manner. It reduces the quantity of energy that reaches any specific point. The earth also does not warm due to the long nights and short days. As a result, we have winter.
When the northern hemisphere faces the sun, sunlight strikes it more effectively, warming this region of the globe. When the northern hemisphere is somewhat inclined away from the sun in the winter, the sun’s rays enter at an angle and have less influence. It makes winter brutally frigid.
Some facts about Winter and Summer
Winters: January is the coldest month, and the visible path of the sun is south of the Equator. Blue skies, mild climate, chilly and sluggish north-east trade breezes are some of the characteristics of this season. Low temperature, low humidity, wide temperature range are some other factors of this season. The circadian temperature variation is quite distinct, especially in the country’s interior.
Summers: Summers last for long as compared to the winters in India. Summers are becoming longer as a result of climate change, whereas winters are becoming shorter. The earth is warming, which is disrupting the seasonal cycle. It’s also known as the pre-monsoon season, and the main features that govern this season are high temperature and low humidity.
Key Takeaways
Both seasons are equally crucial to maintaining a balance in the ecosystem. However, the rise in global warming is slowly eradicating the winter season, which is not a good sign for the environment. Our world is experiencing hot summers, which will result in a variety of losses such as ice caps melting, skin disorders, and so on.
Also published on Medium.