When does summer start in the United States in 2024? Do we have to change the clocks?
Higher temperatures are an indication that summer is approaching. Find out when the season will officially change and if you have to change your clocks.
The favorite time of many for going on vacation is fast approaching. The United States is experiencing the last days of spring and is preparing for the coming of the warmest season.
Throughout the year, the world witnesses two equinoxes and two solstices, each marking the beginning of the four seasons of the year. The solstices correspond to winter and summer, while the equinoxes make way for spring and fall.
In the U.S., which is located in the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs in June while the winter one takes place in December. As for the equinoxes, spring takes place in March and fall in September. In the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed; that is, spring begins in September, summer in December, fall in March. and winter in June.
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When does summer start in the United States in 2024?
In the U.S. and the rest of the countries in the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice will begin on Thursday, June 20, at 4:51 p.m. ET. The beginning of summer in the country is also marked informally by the celebration of Memorial Day, which is the first long weekend of the season. However, this holiday takes place almost a month before the official start of summer.
As The 2024 Old Farmer’s Almanac explains, with the arrival of summer, the Earth reaches the point of its orbit “where the North Pole is at its maximum inclination (approximately 23.5 degrees) towards the Sun.” Therefore, the first day of the solstice is characterized by having the greatest amount of sunlight, which translates into the longest day and shortest night of the entire year.
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Do we have to change the clocks?
The answer is no. Changes are made twice each year to make better use of daylight. However, Daylight Saving Time came into effect on March 10, so the shifting of seasons is not synonymous to the changing of the clocks. The next time change will be made on the first Sunday in November, which is when the country returns to standard time.