At precisely 3:54am on Saturday June 22 is the Winter Solstice – it indicates the shortest day of the year, the middle of the solar winter and the start of the astronomical winter.

From next week the days will start to gradually (very gradually) get longer again – which you should start to notice in about one month. However the coldest time of the year is traditionally July and August.

The days will continue to get longer until the summer solstice which is a few days before Christmas.

– Image by BoM

– WeatherWatch.co.nz