Why are autumn and winter so dreary, and what can we do about it?
The inhabitants of the temperate zone in the fall and early winter are often moping. And no wonder: there is less and less light, the sky is overcast, it’s drizzling rain.... In today’s letter, we will tell you where these feelings come from, and how to overcome this seasonal sadness.
Sunshine and joy
The greatest contribution to fall low moods is believed to be a decrease in sunlight, which makes the body produce less melatonin and serotonin (the hormone of happiness).
And there are two reasons why there is less sunlight:
- Because of shorter days—here, the tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation to the plane of the orbit is to blame
- Because of fewer clear days
And while the first point is clear, the second requires clarification.
Anticyclones are light
Sunny weather is almost always thanks to anticyclones. These are massive atmospheric vortices, where the air predominantly descends, which prevents cloud formation. And clouds and rain appear in cyclones, where the air, on the contrary, rises.
Datingscout / Unslplash
There are two main types of anticyclones that form:
- anticyclones over warm oceans in the tropics: these are called «subtropical», and reach their greatest strength in summer and early fall
- anticyclones over cold land (or ice) in temperate and polar latitudes. Such anticyclones reach their maximum strength in the middle of winter.
Once formed, an anticyclone can travel thousands of kilometers from its birthplace, and it will bring sunny weather wherever it goes.
Interseason climate
Since anticyclones are strongest in winter and summer, the picture in the fall is as follows: summer anticyclones have already weakened, while winter anticyclones have not yet gained strength. And nothing prevents cyclones from bringing clouds and rain 24/7. In some cities (like those in Northern Europe), it’s not uncommon for a month’s worth of sunshine to break through the clouds for just a few hours.
There is even a term for the period when the summer type of circulation (with warm anticyclones) changes to the winter type (with cold anticyclones)—"autumnal atmospheric restructuring". It usually occurs in October.
The long fall
The autumn type of circulation (with few anticyclones) often persists even after the completion of the autumnal restructuring. But this is especially true for the western coasts of the continents: cyclonic activity over them is stronger in winter than in summer, and there are few anticyclones. For example, Seattle (in the northwestern USA) receives 75% of its annual precipitation from October to March, while New York (Eastern USA) receives only 47%. The same is true in South America and Western Europe.
And Beijing, for example, is also located near the sea, but from October to March only 10% of annual precipitation falls here! All because of the winter Mongolian anticyclone, one of the strongest in the world.
In general, the rule of thumb is this: if you live in a temperate zone, and there is an ocean to the west of you, the fall and winter will be cloudy and dreary. In the tropics and polar regions, things are a little more complicated.
How to beat fall mopiness
Well, at minimum, the reasons are sorted out. But what can you do to make it easier to bear these rainy days? Here are some simple tips:
Eat well. Don’t forget to take vitamins, especially vitamin D. You can include more serotonin-producing foods in your diet: beans, cheese, seafish, eggs, and dried fruit.
Add more physical activity. Your body will thank you with improved health if you get out and exercise during the fall and winter.
Plan adventures. Many recreational activities are out of reach in the fall and winter, but that’s no reason to get bored. You can discover new hobbies during the rainy months, and you can emphasize cities when traveling. There’s always somewhere to relax and warm up.
Name the good things that happened during the day. This is a great way to notice that there are many more positive things going on in life than it may seem on the surface.
Seek help. If you feel the need, visit a psychologist. With a professional, you can work through not only seasonal crises, but also deeper issues that you may not be able to focus on during the summer.
And a couple more tips for outdoors enthusiasts:
- Perhaps your favorite activity has a winter counterpart. For example, the «winter brother» of kitesurfing is snowkiting, and surfing is related to snowboarding. Now is the time to master them!
- For training, look for exercises that support the muscles that are important to you. It’s always nice to start the coming season in good shape!
John Hreniuc / Unsplash
The off-season allows more indoor time to explore gadgets and social media. Make the most of it, with Windy.app here to help:
- Sort through photos from the past season—and don’t forget to share them in the community!
- Learn about new spots and destinations. Use the weather archive to better plan the next season’s activities.
- Improve your theoretical knowledge about your activity, and learn about weather forecast theory. We have social media articles, and a website with tons of interesting and useful information.
We wish you only the best mood in any weather conditions!
Text: Eugenio Monti, a meteorologist and a climatologist
Cover photo: Arno Senoner / Unsplash
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