The first day of winter arrives this weekend, marking the shortest day of the year.
Winter officially begins Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4:21 a.m. EST in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
After Saturday’s winter solstice, we turn the corner, incrementally gaining more sun until we hit the longest day of the year or the summer solstice.
The amount of sun you will see depends on where you live. ABC News said those living in Alaska see nearly no sun while those in Florida will see a bit more than other people across the country.
It is the astronomical winter. The meteorological winter started about three weeks ago on Dec. 1 and will end on February 28, 2025.
The winter solstice is not a full day. Instead, according to the Almanac, it is a single moment when the hemisphere is tilted as far away as possible from the Sun.
If you want to see the effects of the solstice, the Almanac said to stand outside at noon to see your longest shadow of the year. On the summer solstice, you’ll see the shortest or nearly no shadow.
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