AUSTIN (KXAN) — Spring is here, but other than warming temperatures and more storms for Central Texas, the beginning of spring means the beginning of having longer days than nights.
Changes in day length
Technically (due to refraction of light) we reached equal day and night on the equilux (March 16) a full four days before the equinox (March 20).
Now through the first day of summer, our days will continue to get longer! We’re gaining daylight at a rapid pace now, at roughly one minute and 50 seconds of additional daylight each day through the end of this month (March). This is the time of year we gain more daylight per day than any other time of year.
Through April and May our increase in daylight per day slows down and by early June we’re gaining only seconds of daylight from day to day.
On the first day of summer, June 20, we reach the longest day of the year with 14 hours, 16 minutes and one second of daylight.
After June 20, our days start gradually getting shorter again, at first at a slow pace, but by the beginning of fall we’re losing almost two minutes of daylight each day.
By late September, we’re back to equal day and night again (12 hours each) and then we continue to lose daylight as our nights become longer than our days.
We continue to lose daylight until the first day of winter on Dec. 21, our shortest day of the year with just 10 hours, 11 minutes and 38 seconds of daylight.
This means that between the shortest and longest day of the year we gain four hours, four minutes and 23 seconds of daylight.
Closer to the poles the shortest days are shorter and the longest days are longer, farther south of us there is very little variation in day length from winter to summer.
Important dates:
- March 16: Equal day and night 12 hours of daylight
- March 20: First day of spring: 12 hours and eight minutes of daylight
- April 18: 13 hours of daylight
- June 3: 14 hours of daylight
- June 20: First day of summer 14 hours, 16 minutes and one second (Longest day)
- After June 20: Days start getting shorter again
- July 8: 14 hours of daylight
- August 23: 13 hours of daylight
- Sept. 22: First day of fall 12 hours and six minutes of daylight
- Sept. 26: Equal day and night 12 hours of daylight
- Oct. 31: 11 hours of daylight
- Dec. 21: 10 hours, 11 minutes and 38 seconds (Shortest day)
