The shortest day of the year is about to happen and will officially mark the start of winter in the northern hemisphere. This phenomenon will take place on Sunday, December 21 at 9:03 a.m., central Mexico time, when the solstice will begin winteran event that reduces the duration of sunlight during the day and lengthens the hours of darkness. At the same time, summer will begin in the southern hemisphere and the shortest night of the year will be recorded.
With the arrival of the winter solstice, the coldest season of the astronomical calendar begins. On this occasion, its duration will be 88 days and 23 hours, and it will end on March 20, 2026, the date on which spring will begin.
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Although winter is usually associated with low temperatures, frost, sleet and even snowfall, weather conditions are not the same in all regions. Factors such as geographical location, latitude and altitude directly influence the intensity of the cold. To make it clearer, the farther a place is from the equator, the less sunlight it receives during this season, which translates into shorter days and colder temperatures. In Mexico, these variations are accentuated by the diversity of the relief, since higher altitude areas tend to register more pronounced thermal decreases.
Why is it the shortest day of the year?
According to National Geographicsolstices occur due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation, which is approximately 23.4 degrees with respect to its orbit around the Sun. This inclination is responsible for the seasons of the year, since it causes the hemispheres to receive different amounts of sunlight throughout the calendar. Between March and September, the northern hemisphere tilts towards the Sun, giving rise to spring and summer; while from September to March, the inclination is reversed, favoring autumn and winter.
What happens during the winter solstice?
During the solstice, the Earth’s axis reaches its maximum tilt. The hemisphere that is more oriented towards the Sun experiences its summer solstice, with longer days, while the opposite hemisphere experiences the winter solstice, characterized by longer nights and shorter days, as will happen this December 21. From this date, the length of the day will begin to gradually increase until reaching the spring equinox.
The weather during winter
In addition to changes in the duration of sunlight, winter brings with it important atmospheric variations. In the morning sky, planets such as Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be observed, while in the afternoons it will be possible to see Uranus. Venus will be visible again around mid-February.
As for the climateWinter is the coldest season of the year. In Mexico, the arrival of cold fronts favors periods of low temperatures, frost, snowfall in high areas and intense “North” events, mainly in the north and northeast of the country, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
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Also read: Cold and memes arrive together this Thursday in Guadalajara
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