When is the longest day of the year in the UK?

The UK is finally starting to see brighter (and longer) days, with London set to be hotter than the Algarve next week with temperatures of up to 27°C.

Londoners will get to bask in a week of sunshine, with temperatures reaching the mid-20s from this Sunday (June 23).

The BBC reported that the weather in the capital will be warmer than in Faro, southern Portugal, and Barcelona, Spain.

But the days have got lighter earlier recently, 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, Thursday, (June 20) is the longest day in the UK. The sun will reach its northernmost point at 9.50pm.

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 Friday, (December 21) at 9.19am.

In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter solstice normally occurs on or around June 22. This year, it is on June 21.