
What was the winter solstice 'Great Conjunction' in 2020? The Southern Hemisphere will then experience the Summer Solstice. The solstice technically only occurs for a moment, at the exact point the Northern Hemisphere is the farthest from the sun.


That's, in part, thanks to this birdwatcher What time is the winter solstice? More: Campbell County parks are more accessible this winter. The year’s coldest days in the Northern Hemisphere can actually occur several weeks later, according to WSYR meteorologist Dave Longley.Brews, views and igloos: Your guide to outdoor dining spots in Greater Cincinnati The Earth could also see residual heat from the sun’s previous rays, delaying colder temperatures. determine the coldest day, the Old Farmer’s Almanac explains. Lots of factors - including snow cover, weather patterns, etc. Interestingly, the winter solstice also doesn’t necessarily mark the coldest day of the year, despite the Northern Hemisphere being the furthest from the sun. 22 - will last for 24 hours and 29.8 seconds, officially making it the longest of the year, in addition to the day with the least amount of daylight.Įvery day thereafter, however, the Northern Hemisphere will see a few additional seconds of daylight, with some days between January and May lengthening for up to a few minutes each, according to WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling. Specifically, the “solar day” - measured on a sundial between noon on Dec. 21, at 10:59 EST.īut even though there’s less perceivable daylight in the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice actually marks the longest day of the year in terms of the Earth’s rotation on its axis, according to NASA.

This year, the winter solstice falls on Dec. Typically, this event occurs in the northern hemisphere between Dec. At the precise moment of the winter solstice, the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is tilted furthest away from the sun, resulting in the year’s shortest day, or, more accurately, the day with the shortest period of daylight.

The winter solstice, also known as the December solstice, marks the beginning of what is referred to as astrological winter - i.e., winter based on the position of the Earth in relation to the sun, rather than temperature. (NEXSTAR) – The winter solstice is finally upon us, but what exactly does that mean?
