Is November Autumn Or | Winter

The answer, it turns out, depends entirely on who you ask—and what lens you use to look at the month. Let’s start with the rule-followers. If you subscribe to the astronomical calendar (the one based on the Earth’s tilt and the solstices), the argument is open-and-shut.

Winter does not begin until the , which falls between December 20th and 23rd. Until that specific moment when the North Pole reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun, we are still in autumn. Therefore, every single day of November—from the 1st to the 30th—falls firmly inside the autumn quadrant. is november autumn or winter

This is the root of our cognitive dissonance. November is statistically an autumn month, but behaviorally, it often acts like a winter one. Since the calendars can’t agree, we have to take this debate to a higher court: our own senses. How does November feel ? The answer, it turns out, depends entirely on

Then there is the rest of us, shivering on a train platform at 4:45 PM as the sun vanishes below the horizon. By November 15th, where I live, sunset is before 5:00 PM. The "witching hour" of darkness descends before most people have finished their work emails. Winter does not begin until the , which

There is a subset of humanity—poets, farmers, slow-livers—who argue that November is the truest form of autumn. October is a liar, they say. October is a flashy show-off with its candy and costumes and electric colors. October is the prom queen of seasons.

Now, go make a cup of tea, wrap yourself in a blanket, and watch the November sky do its thing. Whatever you call it, it’s the most atmospheric month of the year.