Home / Weather News /

After the Winter Solstice - Why our mornings may still be a bit dark

17:00
22 December 2021

After the Winter Solstice
Why our mornings may still be a bit dark

winter solstice brougton user imageIt was an overcast Winter Solstice at Broughton near Milton Keynes for Rex Horwood.

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year, so things should start getting a little lighter from now on, but that isn't actually the case for the mornings.

In fact, while the days will indeed begin to lengthen, it is the afternoons that will gradually see more daylight, while the mornings continue to get a little darker until the New Year, but why is this?

The reason is that a day - or a Solar Day - is not always 24 hours in length. A day is actually at its shortest with 23 hours 59 minutes and 30 seconds in early September and at its longest of around 24 hours and 30 seconds in December.

Why does this happen?

The reason that a day varies is because of two factors. First is the 23.5 tilt of the Earth and second is the speed of the Earth that varies because of its elliptical orbit around the sun.

During its orbit, the speed of the Earth is faster when it is closer to the sun because of the sun's gravitational pull but slower when it is further away.

This means, that while our clocks and watches use 24 hour days, for some parts of the year, the sun actually lags behind them while at other times it is faster making solar days slightly longer or slightly shorter each day.

It is this cumulative shifting that explains why evenings also reach their earliest sunset a couple of weeks before the Winter Solstice and why our mornings continue to get a little darker until the New Year.

You can see the sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset on our Progressive Web App where you are to see when your sunrise starts a little earlier. This feature will also become available on your devices in the first half of the New Year.

More on the topic
Wednesday 16 July 2025

Numerous fatalities

Heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan
Split image showing storm clouds over a coastal town on the left, and a circumzenithal arc on the right.
Sunday 13 July 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Summer warmth and sights
Flood water and weather radar showing heavy rain and thunderstorms over the southern US.
Thursday 10 July 2025

Downpours & flash floods

More severe weather in the USA
All weather news
This might also interest you
Monday 14 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Turning gusty as temperatures ease
Temperature radar showing daily highs for the UK and Ireland. Warmest in south-east England. Next to a weather map showing heavier rain over Ireland, showers in parts of England and Scotland.
Wednesday 16 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Some rain but warmer again
A temperature and weather radar of the UK and Ireland showing hot temperatures with clear, sunny skies.
Friday 11 July 2025

Breakfast brief

A hot and sunny outlook
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement