Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Are your early mornings getting brighter now? Have you noticed how much brighter it is on your commute home in the evening?

We’ve reached the point in Earth’s orbit where we’re rapidly hurtling toward the spring equinox. That means we’re now gaining daylight fast. Starting this week, daylight increases at the rate of three minutes per day in Minnesota. 

Twin Cities solar data from timeanddate.com

We’ve already gained almost two hours of daylight since the December solstice. We gain about another 90 minutes in the next month. 

The sun angle in the sky is also steadily rising now. The sun was just 23 degrees above the horizon at noon in late December. It’s now 33 degrees. And it will reach 45 degrees on March 21.

That extra solar energy is now much more effective at melting snow, or the ice at your local ice rink.

It’s just a matter of a few weeks now before the more intense spring sunshine begins to modify the air masses of spring.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Starting this week, daylight increases at the rate of three minutes per day in the Twin Cities and Minnesota. 

Late afternoon February sun on the Minnesota State Capitol 

Brighter days: Minnesota gaining 3 minutes of daylight per day now

Go Deeper.

Like this?