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How much of the change in temperature in summer is a result of more daylight hours and how much of it is due to our position on the globe as the seasons change? If we were where we are in winter, but had the daylight hours of summer, how much warmer would winter be? Thanks!
Vaughn G.
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Our temperatures warm up in the Northern Hemisphere as we head toward summer time because we are tilted toward the sun and because of our position as we move around the sun. With this tilt, the northern half of the earth points toward the sun and this is our summer time while the southern hemisphere points away and they enjoy winter. We are closer to the sun in the winter but pointed away from it in this hemisphere so it's still colder.
We have daytime and nighttime because the earth is spinning around. When turn toward the sun, it's daytime, away, then night.
The position of earth (tilted toward the sun) has more to do with our heating up in the summertime. So to answer your Q, if we had more light during winter. In order to have more light in the winter, our position around the sun would be in the summertime mode. Meaning, we'd be pointing toward the sun.
So your question can't happen. But, hypothetically, if we just had more light, yes it would be warmer than it currently is during the winter time. However, since we're pointed away from the sun in the wintertime, it wouldn't be as warm as summertime even though you have more light. The sun is also lower in the sky in the winter, so the ground is heated less. We also have to consider other things going on in the earth too like atmopsheric moisture, clouds and all that jazz.
As far as a percentage goes, I'm not sure of this one in a number form. Our seasons change because of our orbit around the sun and the tilt of the earth, that's about all I can tell you! Because of both, it gets warmer. I hope this helps out a little on this tricky Q.
Answered by KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman.
