Winter the season 2020

          The Winter Coldest season

         winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate zones; it does not occur in most of the tropical zone. It occurs after autumn and before spring in each year. Winter or caused by the axis of the Earth in that hemisphere being oriented away from the sun. Different cultures define different dates as the start of winter, and some use a definition based on weather. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa. In many regions, winter is associated with snow and freezing temperatures. The moment of winter solstice is when the Sun's elevation with respect to the North or South Pole is at its most negative value (that is, the Sun is at its farthest below the horizon as measured Form the pole). The day on which this occurs has the shorted day and the longest night, with day length increasing and night length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice. The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates outside the polar regions differ from the date of  the winter solstice, however, and these depend on latitude, due to the variation in the solar day throughout the year cursed by the Earth's elliptical orbit ( see earliest and latest sunrise and sunset). During winter in either hemisphere, the lower altitude of the Sun causes the sunlight to hit the Earth at an oblique angle. Thus a lower amount of solar radiation strikes the Earth per unit of  surface area. Furthermore, the light must travel a longer distance through the atmosphere, allowing the atmosphere to dissipate more heat. Compared with these effects, the effect of the changes in the distance of the Earth from the Sun (due to the Earth's elliptical orbit) is negligible.

         The manifestation of the meteorological winter (freezing temperatures) in the northerly snow-prone latitudes is highly variable depending on elevation, position versus marine winds and the amount of precipitation. For instance, within Canada (a country of cold winter), Winnipeg on the Great Plains, a long way from the ocean, has a January high of - 11.3 ▫C (11.7 ▫F) and a low of -21.4  ▫C (-6.5 ▫F) . In comparison, Vancouver on the west coast with a marine influence from moderating Pacific winds has a January low of 1.4 ▫C (34.5 ▫F)  with days well above freeing at 6.9 ▫C (44.4 ▫F) . Both places are at 49  ▫N latitude, and in the same western half of the continent. A similar but less extreme effect is found in Europe:  in spite of their northerly latitude, the British isles have not a single non-mountain weather station with a below - freezing mean January temperature. Meteorological reckoning is the method of measuring the winter season used by meteorologists based on "sensible weather patterns" for record keeping purposes, so the start of meteorological winter varies with latitude. Winter is often defined by meteorologist to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures. This corresponds to the months of December, January and February in the Northern Hemisphere, and June, July and August in the Southern Hemisphere. The coldest average temperatures of the season are typically experienced in January or February in the Northern Hemisphere and in June, July or August in the Southern Hemisphere. Nighttime predominates in the winter season, and in some regions winter has the highest rate of precipitation as well as prolonged dampness because of permanent snow cover or high precipitation rates coupled with low temperatures, precluding evaporation. Blizzards often develop and cause many transportation delays . Diamond dust, also known as ice needles or ice crystals, forms at temperatures approaching - 40 ▫C (- 40 ▫F ) due to air with slightly higher moisture from above mixing with colder, surface- based air. They are made of simple hexagonal ice crystals. The Swedish meteorological institute (SMHI) defines thermal winter as when the daily mean temperatures are below 0 ▫C (32 ▫F) For five consecutive days. According to the SMHI, winter in Scandinavia is more pronounced when Atlantic low-pressure systems take more southerly and northerly routes, leaving the path open for high -pressure systems to come in and cold temperatures to occur. As a result, the coldest January on record in Stockholm, in 1987, was also the sunniest.

  Astronomical and other calendar - based reckoning

          In the Northern Hemisphere, some authorities define the period of winter based on astronomical fixed points astronomical fixed points (i.e. based solely on the position of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun), regardless of weather conditions. In one version of this definition, winter begins at the winter solstice and ends at the March equinox. These  dates are somewhat later then those used to define  the beginning and end of the meteorological winter - usually considered to span the entirety of December, January, and February in the Northern Hemisphere and  June, July, and August in the Southern.

          Astronomically, the winter solstice, being the day of the year which has fewest hours of daylight, ought to be in the middle of the season, but seasonal lag means that the coldest period normally follows the solstice by a few weeks. In some cultures, the season is regarded as beginning at the solstice and ending on the following equinox - in the Northern Hemisphere, depending on the year, this corresponds to the period between 20, 21 or 22 December and 19, 20 or 21 March.

        In the United Kingdom, meteorologists consider winter to be the three coldest months of December, January and February. In Scandinavia, winter in one tradition begins on 14 October and ends on the last day of February. In Russia, calendar winter is widely regarded to start on 1 December and end on 28  February. In many countries in the Southern Hemisphere including Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, winter begins on 1 June and ends on 31 August. In Celtic nations such as Ireland (Using the Irish calendar) and in Scandinavia, the winter solstice is traditionally considered as midwinter, with the winter season beginning 1 November, on All Hallows, or Samhain. winter ends and spring begins on Imbolc, or Candlemas, which is 1 or 2 February. This system of seasons is based on the length of days exclusively. (The three-month period of the shortest days and weakest solar radiation occurs during November, December and January in the Northern Hemisphere and May, June and July in the Southern Hemisphere.)

Exceptionally cold winters harbor

• 1683 - 1684, "The Great Frost", When the Thames, hosting the River Thames Frost fairs, was frozen all the way up the London Bridge and remained frozen for about two months. Ice was about 27 cm (11 in ) thick in London and about 120 cm (47 in) thick in Somerset. The sea froze up to 2 miles (3.2 km) out around the coast of the southern North Sea, causing severe problems for shipping and preventing use of many harbor.
• 1739 - 1740, One of the most severe winters in the UK ON RECORD. The Thames remained frozen over for about 8 weeks. The Irish famine of 1740 -1741 claimed the lives of at least 300,000 people.
• 1816 was the Year Without a Summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The unusual coolness of the winter of 1815 - 1816 and of the following summer was primarily due to the eruption of Mount Tambura in Indonesia, in April 1815.  There were secondary effects from an unknown eruption or eruptions around 1810, and several smaller eruptions around the world between 1812 and 1814. The cumulative effects were worldwide but were especially strong in the Eastern United States, Atlantic Canada, and Northern Europe. Frost formed in May in New England, Killing many newly planted crops, and the summer never recovered. Snow fell in New York and Maine in June, and ice formed in lakes and rivers in July and August. In the UK, snow drifts remained on hills until late July, and the Thames froze in September. Agricultural crops failed and livestock died in much of the Northern Hemisphere, resulting died in much of the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in food shortages and the worst famine of the 19th century.

 Other historically significant winters 

1. 1779 - 1780. Scotland's coldest winter on record, and ice surrounded ice land in every direction (like in the 1690s). In the United States, a record five - week cold spell bottomed out at - 20 ؐؑؐ 0 F ( - 29  0 c) at Hartford, Connecticut, and - 16 ▫F ( -27 ▫C ) in New York City. Hudson River and New York's harbor froze over.
2.  1783 - 1786, the Thames partially froze, and snow remained on the ground  for months. In February 1784, the North Carolina was frozen in Chesapeake Bay.
3. 1794 - 1795, severe winter, with the coldest January in the UK and lowest temperature ever recorded in London: - 21 ▫C (-6 ▫F ) on 25 January. The cold began on Christmas Eve and lasted until late March, with a few temporary warm - ups. The Severn and Thames froze, and frost fairs started up again. The French army tried to invade the Netherlands over its frozen rivers, while the Dutch fleet was stuck in its harbor. The winter had easterlies (from Siberia) as its dominant feature. 
4. 1813 - 1814, severe cold, last freeze - over of Thames, and last frost fair. (Removal of old London Bridge and changes to river's banks made freeze - overs less likely.)
5. 1883 - 1888, colder temperatures worldwide, including an unbroken string of abnormally cold and brutal winters in the Upper Midwest, related to the explosion of Krakatoa in August 1883. There was snow recorded in the UK as early as October and as late as July during this time period. 
6. 1976  - 1977, One of the coldest winters in the US in decades. 
7. 1985, Arctic outbreak in US resulting from shift in polar vortex, with many cold temperature records broken. 
8. 2002 -2003 was an unusually cold winter in the Northern and Easters US. 
9. 2010 - 2011, PERSISTENT BITTER COLD IN THE entire eastern half of the US from December onward, with few or no mid - winter warm - ups, and with cool conditions continuing into spring. La Nina and negative Arctic oscillation were strong factors. Heavy and persistent precipitation contributed to almost constant snow cover in the Northeastern US which finally receded in early May.
10. 2011 was one of the coldest on record in New Zealand with sea level snow falling in Wellington in July for the first time in 35 years and a much heavier snowstorm for 3 days in a row in August.

Air : The air in winter is cold and dry. Sometimes when there is a cold wave then it is very cold. To protect ourselves from cold we light bonfires. In the winter season the skin becomes dry and rough.

About air pressure.

1) Air has weight. As a result, it creates pressure. It is called air pressure. 2) The lowermost layers of air get subjected to the pressure of the upper layer. Hence the density of the lower layers of air increases. 3) There is greater air pressure near the surface of the earth and it decreases with increasing height. This is vertical air pressure. 4) Temperature zones leads to changes in air pressure. These changes occur in a horizontal manner. This gives rise to winds. Air has weight and any object or material having weight exerts pressure on the thing / material that lies below it. Air exerts pressure on the lower of layers of atmosphere and the earth's surface. Air pressure is measured in millibars. The air pressure at the sea level is 1013.2 mb.

Pressure Belts and Winds :

1) The equatorial region receives perpendicular sunrays. As a result, this region gets more heat. On the other hand, polar regions receive extremely slanted sunrays. As a result, these regions get less heat. 2) This differential heating creates imbalance in the temperature of air in different parts. This in turn leads to formation of belts of high and low pressure on the earth. 3) Winds blow due to pressure differences in these belts. These winds are called planetary Winds.

Barometer: An instrument used to measure air pressure. Air pressure is measured in millibars. There are different types of barometers in use. In some barometers, vacuum boxes called aneroid are used. Air pressure suppresses the aneroid and this pressure is expressed on a plate with markings by an indicator.

About pressure belts:

1) The equatorial region receives perpendicular sunrays. As a result, this region gets more heat, On the other hand, polar regions receive extremely slanted sunrays. As a result, these regions get less heat. 2) This differential heating creates imbalance in the temperature of air in different parts. This in turn leads to formation of belts of high and low pressure on the earth. 3) Winds blow due to pressure differences in these belts. These winds are called Planetary Winds.

 

 Air is a mixture of about 78% of nitrogen, 21% of oxygen, 0.9% of argon, 0.04% of carbon dioxide, and very small amounts of other gases. There is an average of about 1% water vapor.

       Animals live and need to breathe the oxygen in the air. In breathing, the lungs put oxygen into the blood, and send back carbon dioxide to the air. Plants need the carbon dioxide in the air live. They give  off the oxygen that we breathe. without it we die of asphyxia.

     Wind is moving air,  this is refreshing. This causes weather.

     Air can be polluted by some gases (such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides), smoke, and ash This air pollution causes various problems including smog, acid rain and global warming. It can damage people's health and the environment.

          Since early times, air has been used to create technology. Ships moved with sails and windmills used the mechanical motion of air. Aircraft use propellers to move air over a wing, which allows them to fly Pneumatics use air pressure to move things. Since the late 1900s, air power is also used to generate electricity.

Doldrums : The belt extending from 5• N to 5• S parallels. As the temperatures in this belt are high, the heated air starts ascent. This gives rise to a low pressure belt. Winds in this zone are not very effective and hence this region becomes a region of calm and it is called doldrums.

         Air is invisible: it cannot be seen by the eye, though a shimmering in hot air can be seen.

Isobars : Lines joining the places of equal air pressure on the map. Isobars show the distribution of air pressure in the atmosphere.

     Food : During the winter season the body needs foods that will give a lot of warmth. So we eat sweets, fried foods, groundnuts, sesame which provide a lot of oil. These days we also eat a lot of carrot halwa,(A Sweet Indian dish Consisting of Carrots or Semolina boiled with milk, Almonds, Sugar, butter, and Cardamom.) bhakri (Roti) made of bajra,(Millet) brinjals, gum laddus, ginger balls, dates, almonds, sesame and gur (jaggery).

Protective clothes : To bring warmth to the body people  use warm woolens clothes like sweaters, shawls, blankets, caps, mufflers. All these clothes protect the body from cold.

Woolens : Of or relating to the Production of wool.

"These organic sources were supplemented by wind and water, which powered mills to grind corn or crush seeds, to power fulling mills in the woolen industry and bellows in iron furnace."

          An Article of Clothing made of wool.

"The light clothes which will do for summer need to be changed for serious woolens, hoods and gloves for the freezing winds of winter."

( We feel cool and fresh in winter. Sometimes it is very cold. We wear thick woolen clothes to keep ourselves warm. We enjoy hot drinks and hot food. We like to sit around a fire. )

         Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate zones; it does not occur in most of the tropical zone. It occurs after autumn and before spring in each year. Winter is caused by the axis of the Earth in that hemisphere being oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures define different dates as the start of winter, and some use a definition based on weather. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, and vice versa. In many regions, winter is associated with snow and freezing temperatures. The moment of winter solstice is when the Sun elevation with respect to the North or South Pole is at its most negative value (that, is, the Sun is at its farthest below the horizon as measured from the pole.) The day on which this occurs has the shortest day and the longest night, with day length increasing and night length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice. 

     The earliest sunset and latest sunrise dates outside the polar regions differ from the date of the winter solstice, however, and these depends on latitude, due to the variation in the solar day throughout the year caused by the Earth's elliptical orbit (see earliest and latest sunrise and sunset)

Winter: Coldest season of the year, between autumn and spring; the name comes from an old Germanic word that means  "time of water" and refers to the rain and snow of  Winter in middle and high latitudes. In the Northers Hemisphere it is commonly regarded as extending from the winter solstice (year's shortest day). December 21 or 22, to the vernal equinox (day and night equal in length). March 20 or 21, and in the Southern Hemisphere from June 21 or 22 to September 22 or 23. The low temperatures associated with winter occur only in middle and high latitudes; in equatorial regions, temperatures are almost uniformly high throughout the year. For physical causes of the seasons, see season. 

• The kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia take the names of their ancestors at the beginning of winter. They believe it will protect them from bad spirits.
• In Japan, people do the traditional hot bath with citrus fruits, known as yuzu. They believed that it is a great way to welcome the winter and protect them from colds.
• In the Northern Hemisphere. winter months include December, January, and February, while in the Southern Hemisphere, winter falls in June, July, and August.
• Equinoxes are the two days of the year when the night and day are the same length and the sun's path cross with the celestial equator (a projection of the Earth's equator into the sky.) The vernal (spring) Equinox happens in March as the sun moves north along the ecliptic, and the Autumnal Equinox happens in September as it moves south.
• Solstices are the two days of the year when the sun is at its farthest point from the celestial equator.

Winter : A period of low temperature in a year. Due to decreasing duration of sun light and also due to the slant nature of the sun rays, the heat received is less during this period and hence the temperatures are low. The northern hemisphere experiences winter from 23rd September to 22nd March while the southern hemisphere experiences winter from 22nd March to 23rd September.

Monsoon

 Air : It rains during the monsoon. The air is humid and moist. Everywhere it is muddy. In these days a lot of mosquitoes and flies enter the house. The air and water are also impure.

Food : During the monsoon season light and moderate food should be eaten. Light and astringent food like fibrous vegetables, snake gourd (padwal), smooth gourd (gilka), bitter gourd (karela), etc. should be eaten. during this season as such foods are easy to digest. Fresh and warm food should be eaten.

Protective clothes : To protect ourselves from the rain we use umbrellas, raincoats, gumboots, etc.

( In the rainy season, dark clouds appear in the sky. There is lightning and thunder. Then it rains. We use raincoats and umbrellas to keep off the rain. Rivers, Wells and lakes are full of water. We see frogs in the rainy season. It is green all around us. )

Summer

 Air : The air in the summer season is quite warm, so it is very hot during this season. we perspire quite a lot during this period. Sometimes we get sunburn, if the heat is too much. So, to protect ourselves from the heat we use a fan or a cooler. We also sit in the shade. 

Food : We drink a lot of water during summer. During these days we drink mango sherbet, lime juice, buttermilk and cold drinks.

      Besides, we eat fruits like mango, jack fruit, watermelon and musk melon.

Protective clothes : To keep our body cool, we wear thin, loose, cotton clothes. When we go out in the sun we wear a cap over our head.

(It is very hot in summer. We wear loose, white cotton clothes. We enjoy cold drinks and ice cream.)

   

Air

Our Need for Air

      We breathe in air and breathe out air. While breathing in air, we breathe in oxygen from the air. Oxygen is the air's most important natural resource.
 Can you tell ?

A riddle to solve !

There's something there, it is to be found

Up and down and all around.

You can't touch it, you can't see it,

But sure as sure, you can name it!

Blow a balloon.

What did you fill into it?

Air

      There is air all around us. Though we can feel it, we cannot see it. Air does not have color, smell or taste.

New terms :

Inhalation : We breathe in air through our nose. That is inhalation.

Exhalation : We breathe out air through the nose. That is exhalation.

Respiration : Inhalation and exhalation are together called breathing. We breathe continuously. That is called respiration.

Can you tell ?
When a man is sleeping quietly, why do we see his chest going up and down?

Why do we breathe ?

     We need our body to function properly. We need air for that purpose. When we breathe in, we take air into our body. Air makes us feel fresh and lively. Air is necessary for our body to get the vigor we need to work properly.
      Like us, all other living things also need air. If we look carefully, we can see a dog's chest also going up and down. It tells us that animals also breathe.

Do you know ?

        Fish live in water. It makes one wonder how they get the air to breathe. But fish are able to use the air that is dissolved in water.

      Some people keep fish in a glass fish-tank. It is called an aquarium. It is always full of water. The fish in the aquarium use the air dissolved in the water for breathing.
         As a result, the amount of air dissolved in the water can get reduced. If all the air was used up, the fish would die Therefore, more air is continuously added to the water in the aquarium. That is why, we see air bubbles rising up through the water in such fish-tanks.

Try this.

• Take a glass more than half full of clean water.
• Take a small piece of a newspaper sheet. Roll it to make a straw, about 10 cm long.
• Dip one end of the straw into the water.
• Through the other end, blow into it with your mouth.

What do you see ?

• Bubbles rise up in the water.

What does this tell us ?

• You blew air into the water. This air rose up and escaped in the form of bubbles.
• There is air everywhere.
• We cannot see it with our eyes.
• Air does not have color, smell or taste.
• Living things need air for respiration.

Always remember-

       Every day one must spend some time playing in an open playground to get fresh air.

What's the solution ?

In a crowded place, someone is feeling suffocated, that is, finding it difficult to breathe. 

      Hold an empty mug upside down on the surface of the water in a bucket. Press it down into the water. Dip it down in water in different ways. What do you see happening ?