Utqiagvik's Final Sunset of 2020

news image
Special Stories
21 Nov 2020 5:00 AM
Utqiagvik, Alaska (formerly Barrow) is saying goodbye to its daylight for the rest of 2020. Wednesday marked the city's final sunset until late January 2021. Here's how it looked on Wednesday. Utqiagvik (Barrow) Alaska prior to its final sunset of 2020 on Wednesday, November 18. Credit: Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute Sunset Wednesday, November 18 was 1:30 p.m. AKST. The sun will not rise for another 66 days, a period of time referred to as "polar night." After the 66-day period of polar night, the run will rise again on January 23, 2021. Why does this happen? We have to look at Earth's tilt in order to fully understand this long, dark winter. The Earth's tilt throughout the calendar year, relative to its position to the sun Earth's tilt versus the sun Right now, we are about two-thirds of the way between the Autumnal Equinox and the Winter Solstice. In this image above, just go about two-thirds of the way left of where it says Sep 22-23 and that's where you'll find where we currently sit. Note the Northern Hemisphere, where Utqiagvik is, and how the location tilts away from the sun at this point of the year. The tilt is so great that, relative to ground level in northern Alaska, the sun never lifts above the horizon during parts of the winter. The GOES West visible satellite imagery on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 as Utqiagvik entered polar night. The image above shows the visible satellite Wednesday, November 18 across the Pacific Ocean region. If you look very closely toward the top part of this image, you'll see the shape of Alaska and how that area looks just *slightly* darker than the bottom 90% of this image. The darkness you see at the top is the lack of sunlight reaching those far northern locations as the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. So it's a goodnight to the folks in Utqiagvik until next year. Conversely, northern Alaska experiences non-stop daylight around the Summer Solstice where the sun never sets for weeks on end.
All Weather News
More
Tornado Hits West Texas, More Storms this Weekend

Tornado Hits West Texas, More Storms this Weekend

The severe weather risk continues for west Te

4 May 2024 1:30 PM
Storm Threat Continues in the Great Plains

Storm Threat Continues in the Great Plains

Unfortunately, we've had back-to-back weeks o

4 May 2024 1:25 PM
First Weekend in May Brings Snow to West Coast

First Weekend in May Brings Snow to West Coast

An upper low is of cold origin and will drag

4 May 2024 1:20 PM
Multi-Day Severe Outbreak Possible Monday - Wednesday

Multi-Day Severe Outbreak Possible Monday - Wednesday

Similar areas that have been at risk since th

4 May 2024 1:15 PM
Texas: 2 FEET of Rain in 5 Days

Texas: 2 FEET of Rain in 5 Days

Texas has been hit with extremely heavy rainf

4 May 2024 1:10 PM
Remembering Moore: 25th Anniversary of F5 Tornado

Remembering Moore: 25th Anniversary of F5 Tornado

Above - Moore, Oklahoma tornado damage in May

3 May 2024 8:40 PM
Temps Climb on the East Coast, South

Temps Climb on the East Coast, South

Numerous high-temperature records fell across

3 May 2024 5:35 PM