At 17:03 today, astronomical winter began - on the Day of the Winter Solstice, which marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest - in the Southern Hemisphere, BNR reported.
The day lasts 9 hours and 2 minutes, after which it will gradually become longer. The sun in Sofia rose today at 7:54 and set at 16:56, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) reported. The moon is in phase one day after new moon.
Winter is one of the four seasons in the temperate zone, along with spring, summer and autumn. Astronomically, it begins with the winter solstice - around December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, and around June 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
Winter ends with the spring equinox, which is around March 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and around September 23 in the Southern Hemisphere. During the winter season, the lowest temperatures are measured, and in areas further from the equator, there is also significant snowfall in winter.
According to the 15-day forecast of the NIMH, by the end of this month, cloudiness will be more often significant, there will also be precipitation, mostly light and mainly rain, and in low mountain areas by December 26-27 it may turn into snow.
Temperatures will approach climatic norms. During the last days of the month, the weather in our country will remain mostly cloudy, with an increased probability of precipitation, mainly snow, in the southeastern regions and along the Black Sea coast - rain.