Overview
- The sun set around 1:26 p.m. local time on Nov. 18, beginning roughly 64–65 days without direct sunlight.
- Reports differ on the first sunrise in 2026, citing either Jan. 22 or Jan. 26 based on varying calculations.
- Residents will still get a few hours of civil twilight each day even though the sun stays below the horizon.
- The phenomenon occurs because Earth is tilted about 23.5 degrees, turning the Northern Hemisphere away from the sun in winter.
- The prolonged darkness brings persistent Arctic cold and is linked to polar-vortex dynamics that can sometimes influence weather farther south.