Jiilaal

Jiilaal is one of the four seasons of the year, determined by the inclination of the Earth and the direction of its axis. It is the season when solar radiation reaching the Earth is lowest compared with other seasons, and daytime is short while night is long. Temperature drops, and it is generally the coldest season of the year in central and distant regions.

In Somali, the term jiilaal also refers to a particular weather pattern known in the Horn of Africa: a dry season accompanied by strong winds, typically following the deyr season. When mapped to the global calendar, jiilaal corresponds to the winter season.

Scientific basis

Seasons do not result from the distance between the Earth and the Sun, but from the inclination of the Earth's axis. When a hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, sunlight strikes it at an angle, and solar energy is spread over a larger area. As a result, temperature falls and daylight hours shorten.

Timing

In the Northern Hemisphere, jiilaal is generally reckoned from December to February (by calendar seasons), or from the solstice in December to the equinox in mid-March (by astronomical reckoning). In the Southern Hemisphere it is reversed: June to August. In regions near the equator, temperature change is slight; the pattern there is instead a division between wet and dry seasons rather than cold and warm.

Effects on life

In cold regions, this season brings snow and frost, plants become dormant, and many animals hibernate or migrate. People use food storage, warm clothing, and heating systems, which increase energy consumption. In Somalia's jiilaal regions, pastoralists seek wells and water sources, moving livestock to areas where water can be found until the gu rains.