Michigan winter solstice is Dec. 21. How much daylight to expect

With falling snow and cloudy skies, it could seem to be Michigan is already in the course of winter, however the season would not formally begin for greater than per week.

The winter solstice falls on Sunday, December 21, 2025, marking the shortest day of the 12 months. After the solstice – the beginning of winter – Michigan, together with the remainder of the Northern Hemisphere, might start the gradual march towards spring as daylight will increase every day.

In Michigan, the winter solstice will happen early on December 21, with solely about 9 hours of daylight in lots of cities.

Here is what it is advisable to learn about Michigan’s 2025 winter solstice:

When is the official begin of winter?

In line with the Previous Farmer’s Almanac, the winter solstice will happen on Sunday, Thursday, December twenty first at 10:03 am ET.

Yearly the winter solstice falls on December 21 or 22.

What’s the winter solstice?

The winter solstice is the official begin of astronomical winter (meteorological winter began on December 1, 2025). Right now, Earth’s Northern Hemisphere is maximally tilted away from the Solar because of Earth’s tilted axis. With the decreased direct daylight, this ends in the shortest day and longest evening of the 12 months, in keeping with the newspaper NASA.

‘Consider it this fashion: though the winter solstice means the start of winter, it additionally means… the return of more sunlight. Issues solely get brighter from right here,” in keeping with The Previous Farmer’s Almanac.

For these within the Southern Hemisphere, Sunday, December 21 is the longest day of the 12 months: their summer season solstice.

In Michigan, the additional north an individual is, the shorter the day might be – the alternative of summer season. In Copper Harbor, you may count on lower than eight and a half hours of daylight through the solstice. These on the southern border will get greater than 9 hours.

How quick will the day be through the solstice?

Listed here are the dawn and sundown instances in Michigan on the winter solstice, December 21, 2025, in keeping with timeanddate.com and the previous farmer’s almanac:

Why is the winter solstice a cultural celebration?

For hundreds of years, the winter solstice has been celebrated as a time of rebirth as a result of astronomical transition to summer season within the Northern Hemisphere, in keeping with Reader’s Digest.

Many cultures have fun the gradual return of sunshine, for instance Denmark, Norway and Sweden have fun this with a competition often called Yulein keeping with the Previous Farmer’s Almanac. Furthermore, China celebrates with the Dongzhi Festival that means “The arrival of winter” in keeping with China Highlights and worksoflife.com.

Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com