When will KY gain daylight again? When is the next time change? A look at the winter ahead
Central Kentucky residents will be able to enjoy more daylight hours soon as it’s almost time for this year’s winter solstice.
The winter solstice marks the beginning of the season and will occur at 4:21 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Saturday, Dec. 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. As such, Saturday will have the shortest amount of daylight of any day this year.
Here’s what to know about the winter solstice and when Fayette County residents can expect to see later sunsets and more hours of daylight.
What is the winter solstice?
The winter solstice is the day with the shortest amount of time between sunrise and sunset and the day the sun is lowest in the sky at solar noon, NASA reports. Solstices happen twice each year, once in late December and another in June.
“The term ‘solstice’ comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still). At the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still,” the Farmers’ Almanac says.
The next summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere will be June 20, 2025, the Farmers’ Almanac reports, and like the winter solstice, it marks the first day of the season.
When will the sun set later in Lexington?
The sun will begin to set later after the winter solstice. Here’s how sunrise and sunset times will change from December to January in Fayette County, according to global online clock Time and Date:
Saturday, Dec. 21 (winter solstice): 7:50 a.m. sunrise, 5:21 p.m. sunset
Saturday, Dec. 28: 7:53 a.m. sunrise, 5:26 p.m. sunset
Saturday, Jan. 4: 7:54 a.m. sunrise, 5:31 p.m. sunset
Saturday, Jan. 11: 7:53 a.m. sunrise, 5:38 p.m. sunset
Saturday, Jan. 18: 7:51 a.m. sunrise, 5:45 p.m. sunset
Saturday, Jan. 25: 7:47 a.m. sunrise, 5:53 p.m. sunset
By Friday, Jan. 31, the sun will set at 6 p.m. or later daily, and Monday, March 31, will bring an 8 p.m. sunset after Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 9.
What will the weather be like this winter solstice?
Temperatures are expected to drop in Lexington throughout the week, with forecast highs of 36 degrees Fahrenheit Friday, 35 degrees Saturday and 34 degrees Sunday, as of Thursday’s forecast from the National Weather Service.
Lexington may start the winter season with a bit of snow on the ground, as Friday’s forecast says snow showers are likely and could accumulate up to less than half of an inch. Saturday is expected to be partly sunny, with a low around 19 degrees that night. The area has already seen snow this month.
The Lexington area’s average high temperature in December is 45.9 degrees, the NWS reports, while the typical low is 29.6 degrees.
Central Kentucky isn’t very likely to see a white Christmas this year, with a probability of less than 10%.
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This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
