Great news from nature for us late afternoon dog walkers: a few days ago the sun started to set later, even though the days are still getting shorter.
You may wonder how days can still be getting shorter through the winter solstice, which occurs on Dec. 21 this year, if the sun is starting to set later in the day.
That is because the sun also rises later in the mornings through the winter solstice, and the rate at which sunrise times are becoming later is higher than the rate at which sunset times are becoming later.
The Portland Oregonian weather page shows the sun setting at 4:27 pm on Tuesday, 4:28 pm on Wednesday, 4:28 pm on Thursday, 4:28 pm on Friday, and 4:29 pm on Saturday.
That's two more minutes of "sunshine" (broadly speaking, given typical December weather in western Oregon) in four days. Keep it up, tilt of the Earth!
Makes me want to go out and mow my Lawn.
( Maybe Later ! )
Merry Christmas to you and Laurel.
Posted by: Wayne White | December 18, 2010 at 08:32 AM