Daily mean near-surface air temperature series from seven European locations were processed in order to obtain reliable estimates of instantaneous phases of the annual cycle as an objective measure of timing of seasons. The recent changes of the latter do not depart from the range of natural phase fluctuations observed in the historical temperature records. Significant, geographically dependent correlations of the phase fluctuations with the North Atlantic Oscillation index, as well as weaker, negative correlations with the El Ni¿o Southern Oscillation index have been observed.