As the rain continues to rain, and the hour when the sky goes from a dreary lightish gray to darker gray to black gets earlier and earlier, you may find yourself wondering: Will this ever end?
That depends on what you mean by “this.”
If you’re talking about the rain … well, maybe in May? But if you’re talking about the ever-diminishing daylight, good news! That is almost over.
Sunday, Dec. 21, is the Winter Solstice, when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn, and the North Pole is at its furthest tilt from the sun.
It is also the “shortest” day of the year, when measured by sunlight minutes, in the Western Hemisphere, where Portland is located.
On Sunday, Dec. 21, in Portland, the sun will rise at 7:47 a.m. and set at 4:30 p.m., giving the city a whopping 8 hours, 42 minutes, and 09 seconds of sunlight.
Or less, depending on the rain clouds.
The next day, however, Portland will start gaining seconds of daylight.
Here’s something to look forward to: On the longest day of the year next year, Sunday, June 21, 2026, the sun will rise at 5:22 a.m. and set at 9:03 p.m., giving Portlanders 15 hours, 41 minutes, and 11 seconds of the good stuff.
