Indian summer

Expression of American and Canadian origin. The be Indian or the be of the Indians is one period of time sunny and radouci, after first frozen of the Automne and right before the Hiver. It occurs in October or at the beginning of November (in the northern Hemisphere), and in April or at the beginning May in the Southern hemisphere. It is random and can last of a few days at more than one week, or not occur very certain years.

Weather explanation

With the Fall, the Ensoleillement decreases and thermal contrast between the pole pointing contrary to the sun and the equator increases. The atmospheric Circulation principal which, in summer, was located especially in polar region, starts to shift towards the Latitude S averages. Consequently, the weather depressions pass more to the south (for the Northern hemisphere, more in north for the southern hemisphere) and the cold air starts to enter on these areas and to produce gel.

However, the flow of altitude is still rather slow and it can run out several days between two depressions. The winds can then turn to the South - always for the Northern hemisphere - in a Anticyclone and bring soft air and dryness which will give almost estival conditions.

Variation of direction

The dates of occurred of this phenomenon are however extremely variable, according to the climatic differences in each place. In the State of the north of the United States of the Minnesota, for example, the Indian summer occurs at the beginning of October. In an area like that of San Francisco, where it is sometimes in October that the hottest days are observed, but where the temperatures of the summer and the winter are close, the be Indian , even if it is used, does not have the same significance as in an area at cold winters and summer heats.

The expression is also used to indicate métaphoriquement an unexpected or late revival.

Origin

It has been used for more than two centuries. One started to hear of the Indian Summer first of all in Pennsylvania at the end of the 18th century. This term then travelled in the areas of the State of New York and the New England towards 1798. It would have made its appearance with the Canada towards 1821 and in England towards 1830. The Francophone S of Canada translated this term literally by Be of the Indians .

Its exact direction of origin is lost:

It can draw its name from the traditional period where the Indiens of America completed their harvests;
In The Americans, The Colonial Experiment , Daniel J. Boorstin supposes that the term draws its origin from the raids of the European colonists, during the wars against the Indians, raids which stopped with the autumn. Any period of estival time made it possible to prolong raids, by making a be Indian , but the first time that the term appears, in 1778, these raids was not practiced any more for a long time;
the Indian summer is perhaps quite simply named thus because it is common in the old Indian territories of North America.

Different denomination

The French singer of American origin Joe Dassin made a famous song of it. The extract of the song of Joe Dassin shows well that this expression relates to well the North of America and not Europe:

"It was the autumn, an autumn where the weather was nice

One season which does not exist that in the North of America

Là-bas one calls it the summer indien"

In France, the most traditional expressions, before Joe Dassin, were " the summer of the Denis" Saint; (October 9th) or " summer of the Martin" Saint; (November 11th). In Sweden, one speaks about " the summer of Toussaint" and in England, one often speaks about " the summer of the Saint-Luc (October 18th) ". Finally in Central Europe, one has, at the end of September, " the summer of good the femmes".

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