When Does Winter Start In The Usa !!link!! · Simple & Recommended This is the most common definition used by the general public. It begins on the winter solstice , which is the day with the fewest hours of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere. The start of winter can vary significantly depending on the region: when does winter start in the usa In the United States , winter officially begins on two different dates depending on whether you are talking to an astronomer or a meteorologist. While most people mark their calendars for the late-December solstice, weather experts have already been in "winter mode" for weeks by that point. This is the most common definition used by Keep in mind that these are general guidelines, and the start of winter can vary significantly from year to year, even within the same region. While most people mark their calendars for the The astronomical winter season, also known as the solar winter, begins on the winter solstice, which usually falls on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere. This is the shortest day of the year and marks the official start of winter. For weather forecasts, crop planning, and heating bills, winter starts on December 1st —a full three weeks before the solstice. Frustrated by the astronomical calendar’s shifting dates (which made climate data messy to compare), meteorologists and climatologists created a simpler system based on the annual temperature cycle.