If you ask a meteorologist, then winter already started a few weeks ago, but by most definitions, the season’s opening date is nearly upon us.
To explain the snark at the beginning, “meteorological” seasons start on the first of the month, so in the world of weather forecasting, “winter” began on Dec. 1 and will run through Feb. 29.
According to astronomers, the actual start of winter occurs a few weeks later, when the Northern Hemisphere will see its shortest day of the year.
In 2023, that date will take place on Dec. 21, with astronomers saying that the winter solstice will officially occur at 9:27 p.m. on that date.
It will also be the shortest day of the year, with just under nine hours and eight minutes of daylight. After that, days will slowly get longer, though sunrises will continue to occur later in the day through the beginning of January.
In fact, the winter solstice isn’t the earliest sunset of the year either. That has already occurred in the Chicago area, and sunset is slowly beginning to occur later in the day this week.
As for how long winter will last, it will stick around for just under three months, even with the extra day in February because of the leap year. According to astronomers, the spring equinox will take place on March 19 at approximately 10:07 p.m.
Even though astronomers and meteorologists will agree that it is winter come Dec. 21, the weather likely won’t reflect the changing season. According to the Climate Prediction Center, temperatures are expected to be above-average for the start of winter in the upper Midwest. Precipitation is also expected to be below average, with a 60-to-70% range of certainty in that forecast.
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