Home / Editor's Pick /

Midnight sun: Relentless daylight in the arctic

06:00
21 May 2023

Midnight sun
Relentless daylight in the arctic

Midnight in June in the Khibiny Mountains, Arctic Russia, with a light blue skyMidnight in June in the Khibiny Mountains, Arctic Russia.

Can you imagine never seeing the sun set during the summer months?

During this time of year, a phenomenon called ‘Midnight Sun’ or 'Polar Day’ occurs in places north of the Arctic circle, when the sun does not set below the horizon.

In Norilsk (69.3° N in latitude), the Midnight Sun this year lasts from 20th May to July 24th.

The further north the location, the longer the Midnight Sun. In Svalbard, Norway (77.8° N), there is no sunset between the end of April to late August, whereas at the North Pole, it lasts for six months.

The opposite is then true during winter, when the sun does not rise above the horizon, and there is no daylight. This is called the Polar Night and begins around the Autumn Equinox in September.

Even in the British Isles, though not quite land of the Midnight Sun, northern extremities of Scotland experience sustained nautical twilight, where the sun never dips more than 12° below the horizon.

This occurs between the end of May and mid-July, so don't miss the opportunity to get out there and snap some shots! You can share them with us via our uploader.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Side-by-side weather maps showing UK and Ireland conditions. Left image: radar showing widespread rain bands spiralling across England, Wales, and Ireland with heavier rain near Cardiff and Liverpool; temperatures range from 16°C in Glasgow to 20°C in London and Cork. Right image: wind gust forecast highlighting strongest winds over southwest England and southern Ireland, with gusts up to 45 mph near Plymouth and 40 mph in Cardiff, Dublin, and Birmingham.
Monday 14 July 2025

Lots of wind and rain

Low pressure reaches the UK and Ireland
Snow-covered car and weather radar
Tuesday 8 July 2025

Winter feeling in summer

Fresh snow in the Alps
Sunday 6 July 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Shining summer clouds light the night
All weather news
This might also interest you
Two weather radars side-by-side, one showing sunny conditions over the UK and the other a temperature map showing widespread warmth.
Thursday 10 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Turning sunnier and warmer
Monday 14 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Turning gusty as temperatures ease
Tuesday 8 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Sunny in the east, overcast in the west
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.ie

facebooktwitteryouTubeContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement