Happy Winter Solstice, y'all.

W. Kevin Vicklund · #26

In many cultures, the solstice actually marked the midpoint of winter. We're already halfway to spring!

#27

W. Kevin Vicklund wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:18 pm In many cultures, the solstice actually marked the midpoint of winter. We're already halfway to spring!

Fortunately for us Earthlings (as our Supreme Dick Tater calls us), winter is the shortest of the astronomical seasons. Winter checks in at 89 or 90 days (depending on stuff), followed by autumn, spring, and summer. Summer is about 93 days, and spring/autumn sorta split the balance with spring usually one day longer than fall.

Although I have been in both Montana and Wyoming in late May and experienced sub-freezing temperatures and snow. Winter might be just a tad longer in those climes.

#28

humblescribe wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:45 pm ... winter is the shortest of the astronomical seasons. Winter checks in at 89 or 90 days (depending on stuff), followed by autumn, spring, and summer. Summer is about 93 days ...

Oh man. That explains why, in leap years, they give winter an extra day. I always thought, if they were going to add a day every four years, they should add June 31st. I would really enjoy June 31st, and I would give it five stars online and recommend it to my friends and family.

But no. Instead we get miserable, stinkin' February 29th.

Boo.

#29

Blessed Yuletide to all who celebrate it! May you have a wonderful holiday season and all the blessings you can stand in the new year!

tek · #30

today IMBY:

Total daylight: 10 hours, 28 minutes, 50 seconds; 0 seconds more than yesterday

#31

This is what I see:

.

Solstice.jpg

.
That's from Weather Underground.

tek · #32

Foggy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 7:01 am This is what I see:

At's cuz yer a bit north of these parts.

Suranis · #33

humblescribe wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:45 pm
W. Kevin Vicklund wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:18 pm In many cultures, the solstice actually marked the midpoint of winter. We're already halfway to spring!
Fortunately for us Earthlings (as our Supreme Dick Tater calls us), winter is the shortest of the astronomical seasons. Winter checks in at 89 or 90 days (depending on stuff), followed by autumn, spring, and summer. Summer is about 93 days, and spring/autumn sorta split the balance with spring usually one day longer than fall.

Although I have been in both Montana and Wyoming in late May and experienced sub-freezing temperatures and snow. Winter might be just a tad longer in those climes.

That's a microaggression to those in Upsidedownland, otherwise known as the Southern Hemisphere, where the Seasons are reversed. They are in Summer right now.

The Solstice was at 21:48 GMT and I'm not taking any other timezone crap

#34

Well, ya learn something new here every dang day, and while I knew there were a wide variety of elitist swine in the world (

), today I learned there are GMT elitists, who are totally superior to the rest of us shlubs because they live near ... an imaginary line, but it's a really important imaginary line.

I may even have room to learn something else today, too also.

#35

Imaginary lines are what keep wars going -

Mason-Dixon, Maginot, the Bulge....

#36

One of our trips to Alaska was in February. They were gaining something like eight to ten minutes of daylight a day (Anchorage and Fairbanks). There was a noticeable difference in the length of the days in the week we were there.

#37

Foggy wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 7:01 am This is what I see:

.

Solstice.jpg

.
That's from Weather Underground.

Foggy, youse and I are almost at the identical latitude. So our day lengths will be within a couple of seconds throughout the year.

We are right on the cusp of being able to grow long-day onions. If'n you like a nice, crisp, juicy, sweet Walla Walla onion on your hamburder or with some garden-fresh tommy toes, stick some sets into the ground come late February. You will not be disappointed!

#38

Since we are on the topic, the solstices and equinoxes are the delineations for astronomical seasons.

That said, our good friends in the news room who give us the forecasts and current temperature atop the time and temperature tower outside the KRVR studios define seasons from a meteorological view.

The meteorological seasons are as follows: Winter: December, January, February. Spring: March, April, May. Summer: June, July, August. Autumn: September, October, November.

And did y'all know that there are three--count 'em--three twilight periods each and every day?

There is astronomical twilight, nautical twilight, and civil twilight. For today, 22 December 2022, where I live:

Astronomical twilight is 05:35 through 18:20. Nautical twilight is 06:07 through 17:48. Civil twilight is 06:39 through 17:16. All times Pacific Standard, and not that fancy schmancy Mean Green Witch Time.

#39

humblescribe wrote: ↑Thu Dec 22, 2022 6:03 pm The meteorological seasons are as follows:

Winter: December, January, February.
Spring: March, April, May.
Summer: June, July, August.
Autumn: September, October, November.

Here you have to put September in the Summer months. It doesn't really start to cool down in September here. And actually, the second half of May is pretty indistinguishable from summer, too also.

But that's why I like this place. I like summer.

#40

We're the same out here in the Central Valley among the almond trees and grape vines hunkered down in this gigantic bath tub surrounded by mountains. Mid-May through late September the temps generally stay above 90 for the daytime highs (there is usually one hiccup in late May or early June.) We don't even see 75 until late October most years.

I like summer the best too. But sometimes overnight lows of 76 morphing into daytime highs of 105+ get a little tiresome for days on end. No zephyrs wafting in the evening to produce a balmy summer's eve.

#41

Good. Today is the shortest day of the year. We're going to get more sunshine mañana and the day after that. Very nice.

#42

Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 7:00 am Good. Today is the shortest day of the year. We're going to get more sunshine mañana and the day after that. Very nice.

No, tomorrow is the shortest day of 2023.

#43

Ack! I jumped the gun shark!

#44

Yeah, but the sun has begun setting later, so there is that. It’s just that the sun is continuing to rise later which means that the daylight hours are still decreasing. Since I never want to be awake before 8am, I don’t care when the sun rises. I’m happy that the afternoons are getting longer.

#45

For those not appreciative of me posting a day early (and I try hard, usually, to keep up), as a consolation prize today is the anniversary of the announcerless game.

RTH10260 · #46

Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 7:42 am Ack! I jumped the gun shark!

a baby shark for you, baby sh... :shark2:

#47

Blessed Solstice to all who celebrate today! (and a happy day to those who don't

)

p0rtia · #48

The coldest days are in the month after the winter solstice, I've read. Because it takes a while for the old Earth to lose it's chill and for the longer days to take effect.

So warming starts after Jan 20.

Annrc · #49

Happy Solstice!

#50

HAPPY WINTER SOLSTICE!!!!!