Don't despair, the days are already getting longer in Denmark
The shortest day of the year has come and gone, and Denmark is heading towards brighter times.
This year, the winter solstice fell early on Sunday morning, which means that from now on the days are getting longer and nights shorter.
The winter solstice falls when the Earth tilts the furthest away from the Sun on its axis. In the Northern Hemisphere this usually happens around December 21st-23rd every year.
Denmark’s dark winters aren’t as severe as in Scandinavian neighbours Sweden and Norway, which both experience polar nights – when the sun doesn't rise at all for several weeks.
The long hours of darkness can still be felt in Denmark, however.
For example, in northern city Aalborg the sun will set at 3:40pm on Monday December 23rd and rise at 8:38am on Christmas Eve. Six months ago on Midsummer's Eve, it rose at 4:25am and set at 10:19pm. These times will come again.
Although the winter solstice marks the start of the change towards longer days, it will take a while to feel any effect.
The dark feeling of the last couple of months is likely to be carried into this year’s Christmas weather in Denmark, meanwhile.
“It will be a grey Christmas this year overall,” meteorologist Bolette Brødsgaard of the Danish Meteorological Institute told Ritzau.
“Christmas Eve will have a cloudy theme, and unfortunately also some rain now and then, so remember your umbrella,” Brødsgaard added.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day in Denmark will be a little drier with some chance of sunshine, so Christmas walks could be a more pleasant affair on these days.
READ ALSO: How to navigate Danish holiday traffic over the Christmas break
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This year, the winter solstice fell early on Sunday morning, which means that from now on the days are getting longer and nights shorter.
The winter solstice falls when the Earth tilts the furthest away from the Sun on its axis. In the Northern Hemisphere this usually happens around December 21st-23rd every year.
Denmark’s dark winters aren’t as severe as in Scandinavian neighbours Sweden and Norway, which both experience polar nights – when the sun doesn't rise at all for several weeks.
The long hours of darkness can still be felt in Denmark, however.
For example, in northern city Aalborg the sun will set at 3:40pm on Monday December 23rd and rise at 8:38am on Christmas Eve. Six months ago on Midsummer's Eve, it rose at 4:25am and set at 10:19pm. These times will come again.
Although the winter solstice marks the start of the change towards longer days, it will take a while to feel any effect.
The dark feeling of the last couple of months is likely to be carried into this year’s Christmas weather in Denmark, meanwhile.
“It will be a grey Christmas this year overall,” meteorologist Bolette Brødsgaard of the Danish Meteorological Institute told Ritzau.
“Christmas Eve will have a cloudy theme, and unfortunately also some rain now and then, so remember your umbrella,” Brødsgaard added.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day in Denmark will be a little drier with some chance of sunshine, so Christmas walks could be a more pleasant affair on these days.
READ ALSO: How to navigate Danish holiday traffic over the Christmas break
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