The UK is starting to see brighter (and longer) days, with London set to experience a ‘mini-heatwave’ this weekend.
The Met Office has forecast that the capital could be hotter than Athens on Friday, with temperatures reaching 25C, following days of cloudy and rainy weather.
Londoners will get to bask in four days of sun from Friday, with temperatures expected to remain above 20C through the weekend.
While many Londoners will no doubt be spending the weekend enjoying picnics, cold pints and basking in the sun, summer does not officially begin until the summer solstice.
Here’s the date of the longest day of the year in the UK.
When is the longest day of the year in the UK?
The summer solstice takes place in June in the Northern Hemisphere and marks midsummer, the longest day and shortest night of the year.
This year, Saturday, (June 21) is the longest day in the UK. The sun will reach its northernmost point at 3.41am.
The summer solstice most commonly falls on June 21 but is not always on this date.
Depending on the sun’s journey, it can be anywhere between June 20 and June 22.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day of the year typically occurs around December 21. This corresponds to the summer solstice in that hemisphere.
What happens during the summer solstice?
The summer solstice has different meanings. It has been celebrated in various traditions and festivals throughout history, often symbolising renewal, fertility, and the sun’s power.
The day is especially important for druids or pagans. They gather at Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, to celebrate it each year.
When is the shortest day of the year in the UK?
The winter solstice marks the first day of winter and is the shortest day and longest night of the year.
On this day, the Earth’s tilt brings the Northern or the Southern Hemispheres to their farthest point from the sun.
This year, the winter solstice will fall in the UK on Sunday (December 21) at 3.02pm.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice normally occurs on or around June 22. This year, it is on June 21.
