Saturday is the shortest day of the year. How much daylight will there be in the mid-Hudson Valley?

Saturday is the shortest day of the year. How much daylight will there be in the mid-Hudson Valley?

Although New York has already experienced the first days of snow and cool temperatures of the season, it isn’t technically winter until the winter solstice on Saturday.

December 21st is the shortest day of the year with less than 10 hours of daylight.

Here’s how to know when winter officially begins and what you should know about the December solstice.

When is the first day of winter?

The first day of winter is Saturday, December 21st, ushering in the longest night of the year.

Metro North Railroad workers clear snow at the New Hamburg station on December 16, 2024.

Metro North Railroad workers clear snow at the New Hamburg station on December 16, 2024.

How long will the day be on December 21st in the mid-Hudson Valley?

According to timeanddate.com, sunrise in Poughkeepsie on December 21st is at 7:19 a.m. and sunset is at 4:28 p.m. That’s nine hours, eight minutes and 55 seconds.

Sunrise in Middletown on Dec. 21 will be at 7:20 a.m., sunset at 4:31 p.m., says timeanddate.com, meaning daylight will last nine hours, 10 minutes and 33 seconds.

According to timeanddate.com, sunrise in Kingston on December 21st is at 7:20 a.m. and sunset is at 4:28 p.m. That’s nine hours, seven minutes and 25 seconds.

More: How much snow will there be in the Hudson Valley this winter? Weather outlook for winter 2024-25

Snow-covered lights decorate a railing in the village of Wappingers Falls on December 16, 2024.

Snow-covered lights decorate a railing in the village of Wappingers Falls on December 16, 2024.

What happens on the winter solstice?

The reason we have seasonal weather is because the Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees on its axis. As our planet orbits the sun, the direction of the axis does not change. December 21-22 is when the Northern Hemisphere moves furthest away from the sun’s warming rays, which we call the winter solstice.

The sun has now reached its highest point in the midday sky in the southern hemisphere at the Tropic of Capricorn. This means that while the United States has three months of winter, it is summer in countries like Australia and Brazil.

What does solstice mean?

Solstice is a combination of Latin words Solwhat “sun” means, and Sister means “to stop,” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. It is derived from the Latin word Solstitium. Or to put it another way: Solstice means “the sun stands still”.

Cars drive on East Main Street in the village of Wappingers Falls during a winter storm on December 16, 2024.

Cars drive on East Main Street in the village of Wappingers Falls during a winter storm on December 16, 2024.

NOAA winter forecast for New York

  • The National Weather Service forecasts a 43% chance of above-average temperatures for the mid-Hudson Valley in December, January and February. The normal temperature in the region is 37 degrees.

  • The NWS three-month outlook map shows most of New York has an equal chance of normal precipitation. The local NWS office expects higher-elevation regions of the mid-Hudson Valley, such as western Ulster County and western Orange County, to experience above-average snowfall this winter.

A City of Beacon plow truck travels along the Hudson River while clearing and salting snow following the winter storm on December 16, 2024.

A City of Beacon plow truck travels along the Hudson River while clearing and salting snow following the winter storm on December 16, 2024.

More: How much snow will there be in the Hudson Valley this winter? Weather outlook for winter 2024-25

When does winter end?

Winter in the Northern Hemisphere lasts from Saturday, December 21, 2024, to Thursday, March 20, 2025, when the vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring.

What are the dates for the four seasons in 2025?

  • Spring: March 20, 2025 (Spring Equinox)

  • Summer: June 20, 2025 (summer solstice)

  • Falling: September 22, 2025 (Autumn Equinox)

  • winter: Dec 21, 2025 (Winter Solstice)

New York Connect team reporter Victoria Freile and USA TODAY reporter John Tufts contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared in the Poughkeepsie Journal: When is the winter solstice? How much daylight will the mid-Hudson Valley see?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *