On foot or by bike, it's not always easy to get around in the half-light of some Parisian streets over the last few weeks. Since the end of June, it's been getting dark earlier and earlier. For example, this Friday, December 20, 2024, the sun rose at 8:40 a.m. and will set at 4:56 p.m., i.e. 8:16 hours of sunshine.
And yet, this is nothing compared to what the inhabitants of Northern Europe have to endure. Above the Arctic Circle, it's almost never daylight in the middle of winter. In the Norwegian town of Tromsø, for example, the sun made its first appearance at 11:25 a.m. on Friday, before disappearing at 12:23 p.m.! In this Arctic city, " the polar night extends from November 27 to January 15 ", explains the Weather Channel.
So, how long will it last? When will the days start getting longer in France? Well, we've got some good news! Because this year's winter solstice takes place this Saturday, December 21, at 9:20 and 30 seconds UTC. The winter solstice marks the first day of winter, but it's also the shortest day of the year, when the sun is at its lowest.
Winter solstice: what does it mean and why does it begin on December 21, 2024?
This Saturday, December 21, 2024, is the winter solstice! But what exactly does that mean, and why does the winter solstice begin on this day? The shortest day of the year, the first day of winter... Here are some answers. [Read more]
But the winter solstice also marks the beginning of the end of the long days without light. Specifically, from December 21 onwards, daylight hours will begin to increase. But don't expect a dramatic change. " It's only after Christmas that we really start to notice that the evenings are getting a bit brighter," explains La Chaîne Météo, explaining why. " It's a question of celestial mechanics. The Earth, orbiting the Sun, follows a slightly oval trajectory, and its axis is tilted. As a result, the sun continues to rise a little later until the beginning of January, while sunset begins to lengthen slowly from the end of December ".
From December 21 onwards, the days will gradually lengthen until the next summer solstice on June 21, 2025, marking a new light cycle.
Winter solstice: what does it mean and why does it begin on December 21, 2024?
