The winter solstice, a.k.a. the shortest day of the year, is today, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, officially kicking off winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Remember that tidbit from elementary school science class? This is when the sun decides to hang out directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, giving us the least daylight and the longest night of the year. Time to flex that 5th-grade knowledge!
The Earth's tilt causes the solstice. As the Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the sun during this time, the nights grow longer. This year, the solstice occurs precisely at 4:21 a.m. ET. The length of the day varies based on location; the farther north you are, the shorter the day, with areas in the Arctic Circle experiencing no sunrise at all.
After the solstice, daylight gradually increases, gaining about one minute each day. In roughly two months, this adds up to an extra hour of sunlight. Winter officially concludes on March 20, 2025, when spring begins, lasting until the summer solstice on June 20.