Good News, The 10 Darkest Weeks of the Year Are Behind Us

With reports of an arctic blast headed our way this weekend, here is a fun fact that will warm you up. We have officially made it through the ten darkest weeks of the year, which means later sunsets and earlier sunrises are on the horizon.

A thread online is gaining some traction as people make the exciting realization that the winter solstice is coming to an end. So, what does it mean?

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What Are the Darkest Weeks of the Year?

Surprisingly, the darkest weeks of the year begin before the winter solstice. According to the Farmers Almanac, the earliest sunset arrives in early December, followed by the winter solstice half a month later, giving us the fewest minutes of daylight. After two more weeks, in early January, the latest sunrise occurs.

Sun is Setting Later on the SouthCoast

The degree of darkness varies depending on how far north you live. For the SouthCoast, the earliest sunsets of the year began around December 7^th.

On January 1^st, the sun rose over the SouthCoast at 7:08 am and set at 4:25 pm. As of January 31^st, the sun rose at 6:55 am and will set at 4:59 pm.

It may have been a mild winter this year, but I am tired of the windchill, frigid mornings, and early nights.

And it looks like I’m not the only one that is ready for longer days.

Fun 107 asked, “How are you feeling? Be honest,” and words like “exhausted” and “cold” came rushing in.

I think the SouthCoast is ready for some sunshine. Brace yourselves for the arctic blast this weekend and keep in mind what’s on the other side: Brighter mornings and warmer nights.