1. Weather
See also: Hail, Tropical cyclone, and Wet season
Wet season thunderstorm at night in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
Summer is traditionally associated with hot or warm weather. In Mediterranean climates, it is also
associated with dry weather, while in other places (particularly in Eastern Asia because of the
monsoon) it is associated with rainy weather. The wet season is the main period of vegetation
growth within the savanna climate regime.[16]
Where the wet season is associated with a seasonal
shift in the prevailing winds, it is known as a monsoon.[17]
Image of Hurricane Ida from late August 2021.
In the northern Atlantic Ocean, a distinct tropical cyclone season occurs from 1 June to 30
November.[18]
The statistical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season is 10 September. The Northeast
Pacific Ocean has a broader period of activity, but in a similar timeframe to the Atlantic.[19]
The
Northwest Pacific sees tropical cyclones year-round, with a minimum in February and March and a
peak in early September. In the North Indian basin, storms are most common from April to
December, with peaks in May and November.[18]
In the Southern Hemisphere, the tropical cyclone
season runs from the start of November until the end of April with peaks in mid-February to early
March.[18][20]
2. Thunderstorm season in the United States and Canada runs in the spring through summer but
sometimes can run as late as October or even November in the fall. These storms can produce hail,
strong winds and tornadoes, usually during the afternoon and evening.
Holidays
School breaks
Schools and universities typically have a summer break to take advantage of the warmer weather
and longer days. In almost all countries, children are out of school during this time of year
for summer break, although dates vary. Many families will take holidays for a week or two over
summer, particularly in Southern Hemisphere Western countries with statutory Christmas and New
Year holidays.
In the United States, public schools usually end in late May in Memorial Day weekend, while
colleges finish in early May. Public school traditionally resumes near Labor Day, while higher
institutions often resume in mid-August.
In England and Wales, school ends in mid-July and resumes again in early September. In Scotland,
the summer holiday begins in late June and ends in mid-to late-August. Similarly, in Canada the
summer holiday starts on the last or second-last Friday in June and ends in late August or on the
first Tuesday of September, with the exception of when that date falls before Labour Day, in which
case, ends on the second Tuesday of the month. In Russia the summer holiday begins at the end of
May and ends on 31 August.
In the Southern Hemisphere, school summer holiday dates include the major holidays
of Christmas and New Year's Day. School summer holidays in Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa begin in early December and end in early February, with dates varying between states. In
South Africa, the new school year usually starts during the second week of January, thus aligning
the academic year with the Calendar year. In India, school ends in late April and resumes in early or
mid-June. In Cameroon and Nigeria, schools usually finish for summer vacation in mid-July and
resume in the later weeks of September or the first week of October.