The changing daylight hours thread

[Catherine91]

15.39 sunset here today, but only for 4 days, then it's 15.40 on the 15th! About 5 minutes of morning light to lose before the 21st.

[sarahng]

 Catherine91 16.01 sunset for us today, we have reached the low point, and it starts to get better from the 15th.  Still another 10 minutes of light to lose in the morning though, unfortunately!

[RJBingham]

Tomorrow is our earliest sunset. always a milestone I look forward too. 

[ManiaMuse]

Friday is the lowest point in my location bu nearly there now. Slow crawl back up but it is a milestone.

Edited December 11, 2024 by ManiaMuse

[Northernlights]

Not quite on topic but across the north of Scotland cattle conception rates nose dived last November December January in spite of all farmers routinely increasing mineral/vitamins in feed to breeding cattle. Tried to think of a common denominator and suddenly remembered that late autumn  early winter last year was very sunless unlike this year where there have  been   runs of days with blue skies and sunshine.  Breeding activity in the cattle seems to have increased this year so hopefully should get less non pregnant cows

[*Stormforce~beka*]

 Northernlights enjoy your sun ... Not jealous ... Much ...

[Maz]

First milestone reached yesterday, 15.48 sunset, now at 15.48 until on 18th it moves the other way to 15.49.

Still 10 mins to lose in the morning, the plateau starts 28th December.

From small beginnings!!!

SAD really closing in, despite my attempts at positive thoughts.  Contrast with meant to be feeling Christmassy, when just want to hide away, always hits me.

Feeling first genuine warmth in the sun, in a sheltered spot, sometime early February, isn’t far away….

[Dangerous55019]

 East Lancs Rain Morning @East Lancs Rain

So sorry for the delay in replying... Real life and what have you.

I know exactly where you're coming from, and what you mean, but I assure you its true.

Due to the topography of the land, the sunset where I work is currently at 15:24! We're very close to a hill, so at this time of year, we get very early sunsets.

Like wise at home, due to the Clwydian Range, my earliest sunset is at 15:33.

[Dangerous55019]

Morning everyone. 

Well this is it, according to the 'Time and Date' website, today marks the start of the beginning of the end of this stroke of the pendulum.

As today and tomorrow are our earliest sunsets. But it will be Tuesday for my area to start seeing any slight increase in daylight at the evening end of the day.

A week on Saturday is the 21st December, the winter solstice... 

But it won't be until the 31st December/1st of January that the mornings will start to get lighter.

The pendulum is almost ready to start swinging the other way again. 
 

[Summer8906]

 Dangerous55019 Mind you, those are not actual sunsets - if the hill is big enough, the sun could disappear at something like midday!

 

Edited December 12, 2024 by Summer8906

[Dangerous55019]

I’m currently trying to figure out if it’s the lack of cloud cover, or has it genuinely a little bit lighter this evening?

[East Lancs Rain]

 

On 11/12/2024 at 15:20, Catherine91 said:

15.39 sunset here today, but only for 4 days, then it's 15.40 on the 15th!

Earlier sunset than here in Lancashire! The price to pay for living so far east I suppose. 

[East Lancs Rain]

 Dangerous55019 Ah I see. I live in a hilly area too and as a result, the sun disappears behind the horizon around 20 minutes before the offical sunset time. However, I still go off the offical sunrise and sunset times for my location. After all, it doesn’t really affect how long it stays light for. On a clear evening, it will still stay light for around 20 minutes after the offical sunset time, or around 40 minutes after the sun has disappeared behind the horizon.

[*Stormforce~beka*]

 East Lancs Rain what time does it get dark with you

?

[LetItSnow]

Evenings get longer tomorrow! Sunset was 15:51 today but 15:52 tomorrow. By the 30th sunsets will break 16:00 again. It's just the mornings that have to catch up, we've got 6 minutes left to lose but given that is so trivial an amount you can really say the worst part is officially over now. The evening astronomical twilight breaks 18:00 again on the 25th. Up we goooo.

[Dark Horse]

 East Lancs Rain If I'm not mistaken Norwich has an earlier sunrise though as they are slightly further south than our area. So kind of balances things out in that sense.

[East Lancs Rain]

 *Stormforce~beka* At the moment it starts going dark at 3:30 pm due to how cloudy it is. And by 4:30 pm it’s virtually completely dark.

 

12 hours ago, Dark Horse said:

If I'm not mistaken Norwich has an earlier sunrise though as they are slightly further south than our area. So kind of balances things out in that sense.

Yes although personally the sunset time is way more important to me than the sunrise time.

[ManiaMuse]

An extra 1 minute in the evening compared to the darkest evening now! It will be June soon enough. 

Mornings are depressingly dark as well at the moment. By February I am more bothered about wasted evening light though.

 

[*Stormforce~beka*]

Just looked last night I gained an extra minute too!

[Maz]

When a pundulum reaches the end point of its swing, it appears stationary for a short time.  That's where we are now in daylight terms. 

In January we start to see evidence the pendulum is moving back.  Then, once momentum rises again the pace of extending daylight keeps picking up....

Edited December 18, 2024 by Maz

[*Stormforce~beka*]

 Maz I like this post 

[Catherine91]

I mentioned in my regional group that we had partly sunny conditions just before sunset on Saturday, which makes such a difference at this time of year. Seems rare to have anything other than 'gloom' in winter in the last couple of years, so Saturday's sunset (the earliest of the year here) had a very different feel.

[SollyOlly]

I know that I might be unpopular with some, but as a reverse SAD sufferer and somebody who likes the darker months...I'm preparing now for the 'uphill slog' to lots of light! In reality, I actually like the variety, at least we're all guaranteed our preferences in terms of light, in contrast to the weather itself, which so often isn't 'seasonal' anymore...anyway, much as I'll miss the dark, it does indeed feel like 'time to move on' and we're on the other side of it soon enough. That's not to say that I won't be rejoicing in about 6 months, of course...  

Enjoy the seasons, whatever they bring us. 

[Maz]

 SollyOlly "I actually like the variety..."  

Agreed entirely.  I struggle with the dark part of the year, but still appreciate the changing seasons.  I think I appreciate the daylight extension and natures response all the more due to the contrast with the darker days.  It sounds like you feel the same, but at the opposite time of year.  Accepting, noticing and finding enjoyment in all seasons is important - I just wish my body/mind didn't dispair so much in the dark/grey days!!

Edited December 19, 2024 by Maz

[SollyOlly]

 Maz Exactly this! By the time that each respective solstice comes, I'm ready for the gradual change. 

And you're 100% about taking the time, and pleasure, in noticing it. I think that most of us with the weather hobby also have an interest in nature in some capacity or other, and taking time to notice the natural world in all of its variety and diversity is so good for one's mental health, I think. Sure, I prefer the darker months, but a big part of that pleasure is because we all know that its transient. It's one of the reasons that I bemoan what appears to be the loss/ lack of the proper winter season too, both for itself but also because of the contrast... 

Anyway, nice to chat with you! Enjoy the solstice and the move back into light