Constitution MapNine patterns · 14 US cities
Mean temperature across the twenty-four solar terms — the climate this calendar was written for

Climate readings

Fourteen US cities against the Chinese solar calendar

The Chinese calendar splits the year into twenty-four two-week stretches, named for the weather in one part of China. Pick your city to see where the calendar fits its weather and where it doesn't.

CityDays without a freezeTypical first freezeRain and heat
Atlanta246November 21-0.08 (no clear pattern)
Boston215November 8-0.75 (run opposite)
Chicago177October 19-0.18 (no clear pattern)
Dallas261November 25-0.4 (run opposite)
Denver151October 60.65 (move together)
Houston296December 8-0.16 (no clear pattern)
Los Angeles365no freeze on record-0.94 (run opposite)
Miami365no freeze on record0.91 (move together)
Minneapolis167October 100.56 (move together)
New York230November 18-0.27 (no clear pattern)
Phoenix365January 2-0.28 (no clear pattern)
San Francisco365December 31-0.96 (run opposite)
Seattle259November 21-0.99 (run opposite)
Washington DC234November 17-0.03 (no clear pattern)

NOAA's official 1991–2020 averages, one weather station per city. “Rain and heat” runs from −1 (opposite) to 1 (perfectly together), measured across the twenty-four stretches; where the calendar comes from, it's 0.881.

Keep reading