Embracing the Transition: From Shortest Days to Longer Light

Embracing the Transition: From Shortest Days to Longer Light

As the days get shorter and the sun sets earlier, the darkness can affect our mood during our daily commutes. Since the clocks were turned back in November, we have experienced the shortest daylight hours of the year. In cities like Chicago, the sun rises around 7 a.m. and sets before 4:30 p.m., giving us only about nine and a half hours of daylight. However, the days will soon start to get longer.

On December 7, the sun will rise at around 7:05 a.m. and set at 4:19 p.m. in Chicago, resulting in a nine-hour-and-14-minute day. The winter solstice on December 21 will mark the shortest day of the year, with the sun rising at 7:15 a.m. and setting at 4:23 p.m., giving us a nine-hour, eight-minute day. After this point, the sun will begin setting later, with the sunrise also shifting later until about January 9.

During the last week of December, days across the U.S. may start to get longer, with sunrise and sunset times fluctuating by a minute or two. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, for example, there will be a gradual increase in daylight hours from Christmas Eve onwards. By January, days will continue to lengthen, with some regions gaining an hour of daylight before February.

Although the days will continue to get longer until the summer solstice on June 20, there will be a temporary disruption when daylight saving time begins in March. Initially, this change may make it seem like the sun is rising earlier, but it will quickly adjust as the days naturally lengthen. Overall, the transition from shorter to longer days brings a sense of anticipation for brighter and longer days ahead.