estate indiana An Indian summer is a heat wave that occurs in the autumn. It refers to a period of above-normal temperatures, accompanied by dry and hazy conditions, usually after there has been a killing frost. Depending on latitude and elevation, it can occur in the Northern Hemisphere between late September and mid November, though the term is used as widely as early September through January. The term is applied to any heat wave, though it is also used for a purported singularity (periodic pattern). Contents 1 Definition 2 European Usage 3 Equivalent phrases and variations 4 Southern Hemisphere 5 See also 6 References 7 External links Definition Indian summer in Eastern Massachusetts, October 2010 An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather, occurring after the end of summer proper. The US National Weather Service defines this as weather conditions that are sunny and clear with temperatures above 21 °C (70 °F), following a sharp frost (the Squaw Winter). It is normally associated with late-September to mid-November.[1] There are multiple explanations for the name.[1]The North American Indians - native Americans - depended upon periods of fine, quiet, sunny weather at this time of the year to complete their harvest to see them through the winter.[1] The term might refer to the weather patterns in the Indian Ocean, where ships hulls were marked I.S. to indicate the level at which they should be loaded during that season.[1] It could also be one of many derogatory references to Native Americans (the implication being that Summer has arrived stupidly at the wrong time).[1] In the desert southwestern United States, where frost is rare, the term is sometimes used to refer to a brief period of hot dry weather which occurs after the hottest months and before the onset of winter cool and/or rain, typically in October or November.[citation needed] It may also be used to refer to any unseasonably warm weather during the first few weeks of the rainy season, before the approach of spring.[citation needed] In the Pacific Northwest, the term can be used to describe a period of warm, dry weather after the first fall rains have occurred.[citation needed] In some regions of the southwestern United States, Indian summer is used colloquially to describe very different weather phenomena, including the hottest times of the year, typically in late July or August.[citation needed] A late-19th Century Boston lexicographer named Albert Matthews made an exhaustive search of early American literature in an attempt to discover who coined the expression. The first reference he found dated from 1778, but from the context it was clearly already in widespread use. A famous use of the phrase in American literature is the title of Van Wyck Brooks New England: Indian Summer (1940), chosen to suggest inconsistency, infertility, and depleted capabilities, a period of seemingly robust strength that is only an imitation of an earlier season of actual strength.[2] European Usage Question book-new.svg This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2013) In British English the term Indian summer is nowadays used loosely for a period of unseasonable warmth and sunshine in late September, October, or November. In the UK, observers knew of the American usage from the mid-19th Century onwards, and The Indian Summer of a Forsyte is the title of the 1918 second volume of The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy. 20th Century climatologists including Gordon Manley and Hubert Lamb used it only when referring to the American phenomenon, and the expression did not gain wide currency until the 1950s. In former times such a period was called Saint Martins Summer, referring to St. Martins day, November 11. An alternative was Saint Lukes summer, as the feast of St Luke falls on 18 October. In Welsh, it is known as Haf Bach Mihangel or Michaels Little Summer, as Michaelmas, the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, is on September 29th. The term Old Wives Summer was also in former use. Shakespeare used the expression All-Halloween Summer in Henry IV: (Farewell, thou latter spring; farewell, All-hallown summer!” Henry IV part 1, act I, scene 2). All Hallows or All Saints Day, falls on November 1. Saint Martins Summer by John Everett Millais Altweibersommer in Germany In France, the phrase lété indien (indian summer) is widely used, although the expression lété de la Saint-Martin (Saint Martins Summer) is also used. In Italy, St Martins summer, Estate di San Martino, is expected and celebrated as a rural tradition with ancient origins and is marked by a festival on November 11. In Spain, an unseasonable spell of warm weather in autumn is called Veranillo de San Miguel or Veranillo de San Martín, depending when it occurs. It can also be called Veranillo del Membrillo (little summer of the quince). Other regions use the same term in their own language, Veraninho de San Martinho in Galicia. In Portugal it is called Verão de São Martinho, referring to St Martin of Tours, whose feast is celebrated on November 11. In Sweden it is called brittsommar, which is derived from Birgitta and Britta, who have their name day in the Swedish calendar on October 7, when Britt Mass, an official fall open-air market, was held. In Germany and Austria, it is called Altweibersommer (Old Wives Summer), or if referring to mild sunny weather during October in particular, simply Goldener Oktober (Golden October). In the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium) the term Nazomer (late summer) is used, although it is sometimes called Oudewijvenzomer (old wives summer) or sint-michielszomer (St. Michaels Summer). It can also be called Trezekeszomer (St-Theresas Summer – St-Theresas Day being on October 15). In many Slavic-speaking countries, the season is called Old Ladies Summer: in Russia Babye Leto (Бабье лето), in Poland Babie Lato, in Ukraine Babyne Lito (Бабине літо), in Czech Republic Babí léto, in Slovakia Babie leto, in Croatia Bablje ljeto and in Slovenia Babje leto. In Bulgaria, the phenomenon is sometimes called Gypsy Summer (Bulgarian: циганско лято, tsigansko lyato) and in some places Gypsy Christmas and refers to unseasonably warm weather in late fall, or a warm spell in between cold periods. In Serbia it is called Miholjsko leto (Serbian: Михољско лето) by the name of the orthodox saint from the 6th century Kiriak Otshelnik (Serbian: Свети Киријак Отшелник) known as well as Saint Miholj who is celebrated each year on the same day named by him as Miholjdan – October 12. The warm period usually surrounds this date. In Hungary, its vénasszonyok nyara (Old Ladies Summer or Crones Summer) because the many white spiders seen at this time of the year have been associated with the norns of Norse folklore or medieval witches. In Lithuania this time is called Bobų vasara, summer of old ladies. In Latvia this period is called Atvasara, meaning re-summer or return/repeat/flashback of summer. In Finland an unseasonably warm period in the autumn is called intiaanikesä (Indian summer) or akkainkesä (old ladies summer).
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 21:56:24 +0000
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