In which month does autumn in Australia begin?

Autumn in Australia begins on March 1 and lasts until May 31, marking when the days begin to shorten as it cools towards winter.

In the northern hemisphere, March 20 or 21 is actually the spring equinox and marks the start of spring. In the southern hemisphere, this is the vernal equinox and should be the de facto start of autumn.

The Australian seasons have been simplified by starting each season on the first day of each season's starting month. So summer begins on December 1, autumn on March 1, winter on June 1, and spring on September 1.

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20 Comments

David Stokes

A bit arbitrary though. Mother nature tends to ignore calendars

JRW

This might apply to southern Australia, but definitely not to the tropical north. PS: I remember a day in Melbourne with all 4 seasons seemingly occurring in 1 day!

lady draggon

Yippee coming soon. I hate summer in Australia. Seasons in Oz are Dec 1-Feb 28/29 = summer, Mar 1-May 31 = autumn, Jun 1-Aug 31 = winter and Sept 1-Nov 30 = spring

Jas Newman

jonbroberts, Thank you for stating the truth, which should be obvious to anyone who understands the language. Spring is the period from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice.

Char

I knew it was early but not that early

earlepg

james parrillo, Christine, I am wholeheartedly in agreement with you.

Christine Parrillo

Leapy Lee, I do not think Mr. Boyle was being malicious or derogatory toward Australia. He could easily have used the word opposite, that America's spring is Australia's fall. I would love to spend time each year in whatever hemisphere is having summer. Thank you for considering the meaning of opposite for backwards in this instance, and not lacking and falling behind anyone else. Christine, James's wife

ToniP

Christopher J Voce, agree

John W Shreve

Ken Jackson, More than one season occurs in the Grand Canyon at the same time.

Christopher J Voce

One of the best months down here in Melbourne. Glorious in fact.

Lawanta

Mistake in the 2nd paragraph... the term "Vernal" = Spring (not Autumn, as stated). Beginning of Autumn is the Autumnal equinox.

Merri Sillery

Leapy Lee, I'm an American and I must agree with you. I've always referred to them as the ugly Americans. I apologize on behalf of my country for their boorishness.

Leapy Lee

Richard D. Boyle, one of the things that irks people who are from places other than the States is the presumption that things that are different from where you live and where we live is that we are somehow “backwards” and that we drive on the “wrong” side of the road. It is that insensitivity that does not endear Americans to those of us who live in other places. Incidentally my home city has been voted the most livable city many times in the past ten years and no American city has had that honour!

Leapy Lee

Ken Jackson, as there are more than 500 distinct mobs in Australia, there is no Universal Indigenous seasonal calendar here in Australia. Some of the mobs have a calendar of 6 season like the Nyoongar people while some have only three like the Miriwoong people. If you know anything of our climate here, it is extremely diverse from top to bottom. White people tend to use the European seasons, but as you have suggested in Northern Australia the seasons are more like wet and dry but very hot all year round.