June 1st. For some, it's the first day of summer, for others, the last month of spring? Because calendar spring ends on May 31st. Astronomical spring ends on the day of the summer solstice (June 21st). Phenological (natural) spring is when lilacs bloom. So what is June 1st? Let's figure it out without falling into philosophy.

Calendar

According to the Gregorian calendar we use, spring months are March, April, May. Summer months are June, July, August. Therefore, June 1st is the first day of summer. The beginning of summer. The end of spring is May 31st. This is official. Meteorologists also believe that summer begins when the average daily temperature consistently exceeds +15°C. In the central part of Russia, this usually happens in early June. So June 1st often coincides with meteorological summer.

But there are cold Junes when it snows, and then meteorologists say: “Summer is late.”

Astronomy

Astronomical summer begins on the day of the summer solstice (June 20-21). Then the sun reaches its northernmost point, the day is the longest. Until June 21st, it's astronomical spring. So from a celestial perspective, June 1st is still spring. But for ordinary people, this detail is not important. We don't check the position of the Earth when we go swimming.

By the way, in the Southern Hemisphere, June 1st is the beginning of summer. But we don't live there.

Nature

Phenological spring lasts until the lilacs bloom and the strawberries start to ripen. In the Moscow region, lilacs usually bloom by June 10th. Strawberries ripen by the end of June. Therefore, June 1st is still when blackthorn, yellow acacia, and meadowsweet are blooming. It's a transitional period. It's not yet hot, but it's not cold either. Days are long. True summer (heat, swimming) begins after June 20th. But we still call June summer.

Because we want to.

Folk Sayings

“June has come — spit on fishing” (the fish go deep). “June heat is better than a fur coat”. “June — roses are blooming, spring is ending”. According to sayings, if it rains on June 1st, it will be bad for mushroom harvest. If it's hot, summer will be dry. In the folk, June 1st was called “Ivan Long” or “Ivan – honey dew” (harmful dew appears, which makes grass rot).

But this is more about summer than spring.

Psychology

For most people, June 1st is about holidays, vacations, swimsuits, barbecues. The mood is summery. Spring is associated with dirt, fatigue, avitaminosis. No one wants to prolong it. Therefore, psychologically, June 1st is the beginning of summer. Even if it's +10 and raining outside, we say: “Summer failed”, not “Spring has dragged on”.

So the answer depends on the context. The calendar, meteorology, and psychology say that June 1st is the beginning of summer. Astronomy and phenology say it's still spring. But the main thing is that this day is a holiday (Children's Protection Day), not a subject of dispute. Go out into the street, enjoy the sun (if it's there). And it doesn't matter what it's called.

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