Solstice marks arrival of winter; mild temperatures forecast for Christmas
Magnolia Klein, of Huntington, walks with her dad, Shane Klein, in Heckscher Park in Huntington Saturday. Credit: Rick Kopstein
If 8 inches of snow and temperatures in the teens last week felt like winter, Sunday was the bearer of bad news, as the first official day of the season has only just arrived.
The winter solstice occurred at 10:03 a.m. Sunday, when the Northern Hemisphere tilted farthest from the sun, leaving us with the fewest daylight hours and the shortest day of the year. But starting now, New Yorkers can expect more sunlight as days gradually get longer until late June.
Many cultures celebrate the winter solstice, ranging from the East Asian Dongzhi festival and Iranian Shab-e Yalda to the Hopi Tribe’s Soyal. In southwest England, thousands of people danced around Stonehenge on Sunday as the sun rose. Created some 5,000 years ago, the ancient structure was built to align with the movement of the sun on solstices.
Meanwhile, in the Southern Hemisphere, Sunday was the longest day of the year and the start of summer.
Warmth below the equator is a universe away from New York, where Long Islanders fared last week’s storm with more than 8 inches of snow and wind chills feeling like somewhere between 10 and 20 degrees.
But the first official week of winter is expected to bring mild temperatures for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, according to meteorologist Bill Goodman with the National Weather Service.
"Not too cold, not too hot," Goodman said. "Christmas Eve looks dry ... Christmas Day looks like a chance of light rain in the morning."
Temperatures on Christmas Eve will range from highs in the lower 40s to lows in the lower 30s or 20s, he said, and Christmas Day will bring high temperatures in the lower 40s.
Goodman added, "At least right now we’re not worried about snow, sleet or anything like that."
Forecasters said Monday will be sunny with highs in the high 30s. Tuesday could bring a wintry mix of rain and snow. The high Tuesday is expected to be in the low 40s.
Clear skies and mild temperatures are expected for Christmas Eve on Wednesday. There is a chance of rain for Christmas on Thursday before 1 p.m., according to the weather service.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
