vinterhalvåret

Vinterhalvåret is a Swedish term referring to the winter half of the year. It is a practical division used in administration, energy planning, climate statistics and other policy contexts to distinguish periods with colder weather and shorter daylight from the rest of the year. The exact dates of vinterhalvåret are not universally fixed and can vary by context; in common Swedish usage, a frequent convention is October 1 to March 31. Other contexts may adopt different definitions, such as focusing on core winter months or using astronomical or meteorological boundaries for seasons.

The term contrasts with sommarhalvåret, the summer half-year, which roughly covers the remainder of the year, typically April 1 to September 30 in common usage. The division is not a strict meteorological season but a functional partition designed for planning and statistical purposes, including energy demand, heating needs, pricing schemes, and daylight-related considerations.

In terms of daylight, vinterhalvåret aligns with the period of shorter days, especially pronounced in northern latitudes where the shortest daylight occurs around the winter solstice. The concept is most common in Swedish and other Nordic contexts, where similar terms exist to describe the seasonal halves. Etymology is straightforward: vinter means winter and halvår means half-year.