The annual cycle

Attributes of the seasons may vary by location, but there are still broad definitions that cross most of
the boundaries.

In the spring, seeds take root and vegetation begins to grow. The weather is warmer, and often
wetter. Animals wake or return from warmer climates, often with newborns. Melting snow from the
previous season, along with increased rainfall, can cause flooding along waterways, according to the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

In the summer, temperatures may increase to their hottest of the year. If they spike too high, heat
waves or droughts may cause trouble for people, animals, and plants. For example, in the summer of
2003, the high temperatures claimed more than 30,000 lives, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
Rainfall may increase in some areas, as well. Others may receive less water, and forest fires may
become more frequent.

In the autumn, or fall, temperatures cool again. Plants may begin to grow dormant. Animals might
prepare themselves for the upcoming cold weather, storing food or traveling to warmer regions.
Various cultures have celebrated bountiful harvests with annual festivals. Thanksgiving is a good
example. "Thanksgiving in the United States is a historical commemoration but it has a spiritual
dimension strongly associated with homecoming and giving praise for what has been bestowed upon
us," Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live
Science.

Winter often brings a chill. Some areas may experience snow or ice, while others see only cold rain.
Animals find ways to warm themselves, and may have changed their appearance to adapt. "In a
similar way to the Autumnal theme, Winter festivals celebrate the return of the light during a time of
deepest physical darkness," said De Rossi. The Indian festival of Diwali, for example, which takes
place between October and November, celebrates the triumph of righteousness, and of light over
darkness.

Location, location, location

The timing and characteristics of the seasons depends upon the location on Earth. Regions near the
equator experience fairly constant temperatures throughout the year, with balmy winters barely
discernible from warm summers. This is because it gets fairly constant light from the sun, due to its
position on the outer curve of the Earth, according to the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement
(ARM) program.
For areas to the north and south, the seasons can change more significantly. People closer to the
poles might experience icier, more frigid winters, while those closer to the equator might suffer
hotter summers. Other factors can also affect the weather and temperature over the seasons; some
areas experience dry summers as temperatures spike, while others might call summer their "wet
season." A wet season is when the average precipitation of an area is 2.4 inches (60 millimeters) or
more, according to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC). Mountainous regions might experience
more snowfall than plains within the same latitude, while oceanfront property could see an increase
in violent tropical storms as the weather shifts.

The time of year a region experiences a season depends on whether it is in the northern or southern
hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere experiences winter while its northern neighbors chart
summer; the north sees the slow blossom of spring while the south brings in the autumn harvest.

Earth and the sun

The seasons can bring a wide variety to the year for those locations that experience them in full. The
weather in each one may allow people to engage in activities that they cannot perform in others —
skiing in the winter, swimming in the summer. Each season brings with it its own potential dangers,
but also its own particular brand of beauty.