Seasonal lag is the phenomenon whereby the date of maximum average air temperature at a geographical location on a planet is delayed until some time after the date of maximum insolation (i.e. the summer solstice). This also applies to the minimum temperature being delayed until some time after the date of minimum insolation. Cultural seasons are often aligned with annual temperature cycles, especially in the agrarian context. Peak agricultural growth often depends on both insolation levels and soil/air temperature. Rainfall patterns are also tied to temperature cycles, with warmer air able to hold more water vapor than cold air. In most Northern Hemisphere regions, the month of February is usually colder than the month of November despite February having significantly later sunsets and more daylight overall. Conversely, the month of August is usually hotter than the month of May despite August having later sunrises, increasingly earlier sunsets, and less daylight overall. In all cases, the change in average air temperature lags behind the more consistent change in daylight patternsdelaying the perceived start of the next season for a month or so. An analogous temperature lag phenomenon occurs in diurnal temperature variation, where maximum daily temperature occurs after noon (maximum insolation). On Earth Earth's seasonal lag is largely caused by the presence of large amounts of water, which has a high latent heat of freezing and of condensation. The length of seasonal lag varies between different climates, with extremes ranging from as little as 15–20 days for polar regions in summer and continental interiors. For example Fairbanks, Alaska, where annual average warmest temperatures occur in early July, and August is notably cooler than June to as much as 2½ months. For oceanic areas, whether in low latitudes, as in Miami, Florida or higher latitudes as in the Kuril Islands, where at Simushir annual average temperatures peak in late August), and at Cape Sable Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, where (by a slight margin) September is actually the year's warmest month on average. August as the narrowly warmest month can even happen in ultra-maritime areas north of the Arctic Circle, such as Røst or offshore islands like Jan Mayen and Bear Island in Norway. The latter is at 74°N and such high-latitude summer lag is enabled by Gulf Stream moderation tempering seasonal swings to extend the season. In many locations, seasonal lag is not "seasonally symmetric"; that is, the period between the