Tired of driving home in the dark? Here’s when Pennsylvania can expect more daylight
As the winter holidays approach, so does the shortest day of the year. But once it passes, Pennsylvanians will finally begin seeing a little more sunlight each day.
The winter solstice, slated for Thursday, Dec. 21, annually marks the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. On that day, the sun will rise at roughly 7:32 a.m. and set around 4:46 p.m. in State College, making the day’s length just nine hours and 14 minutes, according to online global clock Time and Date.
Here’s what you should know about the winter solstice and when Pennsylvania can expect longer days in the weeks and months ahead.
What is the winter solstice?
According to National Geographic, a solstice is an event in which a planet’s poles are the most inclined toward or away from the star it orbits. In our case, the Earth experiences a solstice when it is tilted toward or away from the sun as much as possible.
The Northern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice when the sun passes directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, which is located 23.5 degrees south of the equator and runs through parts of Australia, Chile, southern Brazil and South Africa. The summer solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere around June 21 each year as soar declination reaches the Tropic of Cancer, producing the most hours of sunlight of any day each year.
The Southern Hemisphere experiences solstices in the opposite order thanks to the planet’s tilted axis. The hemisphere’s longest day of the year comes in December, while its shortest arrives over the summer.
Solstices should not be confused with equinoxes, which occur each spring and fall. During the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the Earth’s axis is neither tilted toward nor away from the Sun, producing a roughly equal amount of daylight and darkness at practically all latitudes, according to the National Weather Service.
Many cultures across the globe and throughout history have celebrated solstices and equinoxes. Some believe the winter solstice carries significance in its symbolism as a triumph over darkness and the rebirth of light.
When will Pennsylvania see more daylight?
After the winter solstice passes, Pennsylvanians can anticipate a slow increase in daylight until spring.
Expect daylight to increase by about 30 or 40 seconds per day in late December and early January before larger jumps of more than two minutes begin each day in February. By the time Valentine’s Day arrives, State College can expect about 10 hours and 37 minutes of daylight, marking nearly an hour and a half of additional sunlight compared to the winter solstice.
Once we reach the vernal equinox March 20 — when the day and night are roughly equal in length — the sun is expected to rise in State College at 7:13 a.m. and set around 7:20 p.m., according to Time and Date. Daylight saving time begins March 10 in the U.S., pushing clocks forward one hour until early November.
The closest the area will get to a truly even split of day and night arrives March 17, when State College is expected to receive about 12 hours and two minutes of daylight.
This story was originally published December 8, 2023 at 11:15 AM.
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