Not sure if it is technically correct, but I think of it like the momentum of Earth’s atmosphere. It takes a lot of momentum to alter the system. The days getting a little longer by a few minutes depending on latitude makes little difference. We are still dropping in average temps the further towards the poles.

Riding a bicycle everywhere for years in Southern California, this was something I would think about a lot on the commutes in the dark of winter, and the wind and rain patterns. Like here, I know if it will rain based on the wind direction alone. I only check the weather when I’m too lazy to go outside or something odd is happening. After the solstice there seems to be more turbulence that is added to the system. There is more of a back and forth between on an off shore flow patterns. It is our rainy season here, and we have nights get around 10°F cooler. This is when I break out my 40°F layers. On a bike, everything is still skin tight. I can shed some layers but don’t like to stop to do that. I have specialty gear for every 10°F of temperature drop. If I wear 40-50°F gear in 50-60°F temps, I will sweat like crazy and then freeze from being wet. I wear my coldest gear a lot less than I did 15 years ago, but I still haven’t needed it this year. I will in the months to come.

Most people are not connected to the weather and outside world very directly like this in the West. In my experience, the solstice marks the low point where I have around 6 weeks until things start getting better.