Winter solstice arrives in Australia, but the coldest days may still be coming
Australia
is about to mark the winter solstice on Saturday, June 21, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. While many expect the coldest weather to hit right after this date, that's not quite how it works. In reality, the chilliest days are still to come for most parts of Australia, likely in mid to late July.
The winter solstice occurs when the
Sun
reaches its northernmost point in the sky, directly above the Tropic of Cancer. For people in the Southern Hemisphere, that means the Sun sits lower in the sky, and daylight hours shrink to their minimum.
On Saturday, cities across Australia will see very short days. Hobart will get just over nine hours of sunlight, Melbourne and Canberra a little more, and Sydney will get just under ten. In contrast, Darwin, closer to the equator, will still enjoy about eleven and a half hours of daylight.
Why Isn't It Coldest Right After the Solstice?
Even though the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky, temperatures don't hit their lowest immediately. That's because of something called seasonal lag.
Live Events
Seasonal lag happens because the Earth's surface, especially the oceans, takes time to lose heat. The ocean acts like a thermal blanket. It absorbs the Sun's warmth during the longer summer days and slowly releases it in the following months.
Even now, weeks after autumn ended, Australia's surrounding oceans are still releasing residual warmth into the air.
This delays the real winter chill. So, despite having the least daylight on June 21, most Australians won't feel peak cold until July.
Where Will It Get Coldest, and When?
In southern and coastal cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane, the coldest mornings usually arrive in mid to late July. These areas are heavily influenced by nearby oceans, which moderate temperature changes.
However, inland and desert regions like those in central Australia don't experience the same delay. These areas cool down much faster because they lack large bodies of water. As a result, some of the coldest nights may arrive just days after the solstice, or even before.
What About Summer?
The same seasonal lag happens in reverse during summer. The longest day of the year in December doesn't bring the hottest temperatures. Instead, January tends to be the peak of summer heat, when the land and sea have absorbed the most energy from the Sun.
Although June 21 will mark the solar year's official halfway point, the coldest winter phase still lies ahead for most of Australia. Short daylight hours, longer nights, and fading ocean warmth mean early July through August will likely feel the frostiest.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
a day ago
- News18
Why It's Still Bright Out At 7:30pm? Delhi-NCR's Latest Sunset Mystery Explained
Last Updated: Still light at 7:30pm in Delhi? It's not your imagination. Here's why evenings are stretching longer—thanks to Earth's tilt, the summer solstice, and clearer skies this season You've probably heard about the long summer days in parts of Europe—like Norway, famously called the Land of the Midnight Sun, where the sun sets around 11 pm and rises again just after 1 am. Similar phenomena occur in countries like Finland, Iceland, Russia, Canada, and Greenland, where the sun doesn't set at all for nearly 60 to 90 days. Now, something similar, though not quite as extreme, is happening closer to home. If you're in Delhi-NCR, you've likely noticed that evenings are stretching unusually long. The question on many minds: Why isn't it getting dark even after 7 pm? While life goes on as usual in those sunlit corners of the world, the extended daylight here in Delhi-NCR has left many people surprised. Most of us know that days begin to lengthen from March, but what's happening now feels more noticeable. In March and April, sunset typically occurs between 7:00 and 7:15 pm. But by May and June, that time stretches to nearly 7:22 pm. In fact, during June and July, daylight can last up to 14 hours. For example, on June 19, the sun rises at 5:22 am and sets at 7:22 pm. This isn't just limited to Delhi-NCR. The same is experienced across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and even parts of Punjab—regions that lie between 25° to 37° north latitude. These areas are currently tilted more directly toward the sun. Over 500 years ago, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus explained that the Sun remains fixed, and it's Earth that revolves around it. Though his ideas weren't accepted in his lifetime, his theory reshaped our understanding of the solar system. Galileo supported this and was famously placed under house arrest for it. Long story short—sunrise and sunset aren't about the Sun moving, but about where we are on Earth as it spins on its tilted axis. Scientifically, late evenings in Delhi-NCR are due to the region's geographical position. Located at 28.6° north latitude, Delhi lies in the northern hemisphere. Around June 21 or 22, the Summer Solstice takes place. This is when Earth's northern half is tilted most closely toward the Sun. Because Earth's axis is tilted at 23.5°, the Sun's rays fall more directly on this part of the planet. That's why the Sun rises earlier and sets later. Add to that the relatively cleaner skies in NCR during summer—with lower levels of haze and pollution—and the daylight appears to stretch even longer. So, the next time you find yourself glancing at your watch at 7:30 pm and wondering why it's still light outside, just remember: it's Earth's tilt, not magic. First Published:
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Weather forecast: Australia's shortest day turns coldest as millions shiver as snow, icy winds, and sub-zero lows grip the nation
Millions of Australians bundled up against the biting chill of the winter solstice , as the sun rose weakly on Saturday(June 21), Australia's shortest day of the year. A brutal cold front swept across the country's southeast, ushering in icy winds, heavy snowfall, and sub-zero temperatures that grounded flights, shuttered roads, and blanketed the high country in white. 'The first cold outbreak of the winter season is impacting southeastern Australia this weekend, with damaging winds, heavy snowfall, widespread showers, thunderstorms, gusty winds, and some very cold air,' said Dean Narramore, meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally Undo Temperatures plunged across Australia Temperatures plunged across large parts of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and southern Queensland. In alpine towns like Perisher and Thredbo, heavy snow and wind gusts turned roads treacherous. Live Events In Cooma, a frosty –8.5°C morning was the coldest of the season. 'Our woollies looked like sugar-coated marshmallows,' laughed one sheep farmer from the Monaro region, describing how frost settled on her livestock at dawn. Severe weather warnings were issued for elevated and coastal parts of South Australia, including the Mount Lofty Ranges and Adelaide. Winds exceeding 90 km/h were recorded along exposed ridges. Residents in Melbourne faced chilly rain and grey skies, while in Sydney , winds picked up despite slightly milder temperatures. Weather forecasters are already tracking a second, stronger cold front expected to arrive Sunday, sweeping in from Western Australia and plunging southeast across Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Sky News Weather presenter Nikolina Kharoufeh warned that even colder air and widespread strong winds would accompany the front, possibly pushing temperatures below freezing again in inland regions. Weather for the weekend Here's what the weekend looks like in major capital cities: Sydney : Partly cloudy, 19°C Saturday; mostly sunny, 20°C Sunday. Melbourne : Cloudy with showers, 15°C Saturday; partly cloudy Sunday. Canberra : Chilly with a low of 2°C Saturday; mostly sunny Sunday with 16°C high. Brisbane : Sunny and mild, 24°C Saturday; 25°C Sunday. Adelaide : Cloudy with a chance of rain, 17°C Saturday; 18°C Sunday. Hobart : Showers and 13°C Saturday; 14°C Sunday. Perth : Rain on Saturday, 18°C; clearing by Sunday. Darwin : Dry and warm, highs in the low 30s. Despite the frigid blast, Australia's true coldest days may still lie ahead. Meteorologists explain that due to seasonal lag, temperatures usually bottom out in mid-to-late July, even as daylight hours slowly begin to increase after the solstice.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Winter solstice arrives in Australia, but the coldest days may still be coming
Australia is about to mark the winter solstice on Saturday, June 21, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. While many expect the coldest weather to hit right after this date, that's not quite how it works. In reality, the chilliest days are still to come for most parts of Australia, likely in mid to late July. The winter solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its northernmost point in the sky, directly above the Tropic of Cancer. For people in the Southern Hemisphere, that means the Sun sits lower in the sky, and daylight hours shrink to their minimum. On Saturday, cities across Australia will see very short days. Hobart will get just over nine hours of sunlight, Melbourne and Canberra a little more, and Sydney will get just under ten. In contrast, Darwin, closer to the equator, will still enjoy about eleven and a half hours of daylight. Why Isn't It Coldest Right After the Solstice? Even though the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky, temperatures don't hit their lowest immediately. That's because of something called seasonal lag. Live Events Seasonal lag happens because the Earth's surface, especially the oceans, takes time to lose heat. The ocean acts like a thermal blanket. It absorbs the Sun's warmth during the longer summer days and slowly releases it in the following months. Even now, weeks after autumn ended, Australia's surrounding oceans are still releasing residual warmth into the air. This delays the real winter chill. So, despite having the least daylight on June 21, most Australians won't feel peak cold until July. Where Will It Get Coldest, and When? In southern and coastal cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane, the coldest mornings usually arrive in mid to late July. These areas are heavily influenced by nearby oceans, which moderate temperature changes. However, inland and desert regions like those in central Australia don't experience the same delay. These areas cool down much faster because they lack large bodies of water. As a result, some of the coldest nights may arrive just days after the solstice, or even before. What About Summer? The same seasonal lag happens in reverse during summer. The longest day of the year in December doesn't bring the hottest temperatures. Instead, January tends to be the peak of summer heat, when the land and sea have absorbed the most energy from the Sun. Although June 21 will mark the solar year's official halfway point, the coldest winter phase still lies ahead for most of Australia. Short daylight hours, longer nights, and fading ocean warmth mean early July through August will likely feel the frostiest.
