Skip to content
Weather
Link copied to clipboard

Summer solstice 2019: When, what it is, forecast, and how to celebrate

Here's a look at what the solstice means exactly and how to celebrate the season's kickoff in the Philadelphia region.

Kaden Colston, 8, who is in the Bridesburg summer camp, climbs out of the pool after swimming during the 2019 Public Pools Season Opener and Grand Opening of Bridesburg Pool in Philadelphia on Monday.
Kaden Colston, 8, who is in the Bridesburg summer camp, climbs out of the pool after swimming during the 2019 Public Pools Season Opener and Grand Opening of Bridesburg Pool in Philadelphia on Monday.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

Grab the water ice and your bathing suits, folks. Summer is here.

Friday rings in the 2019 summer solstice, also known as the first day of the astronomical summer.

The region will see 15 hours of sunlight, with the sun not expected to set until 8:32 p.m. — giving plenty of time for Philadelphians to soak in the rays and enjoy all those outdoor activities, should the weather cooperate. Philly’s more than 70 public pools began to open this week, after all.

What time does summer begin?

Summer starts with the solstice at 11:54 a.m. Friday, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

While we ring in the spring and fall with vernal and autumnal equinoxes in March and September, summer and winter are associated with solstices in June and December, according to the National Weather Service.

What’s a solstice?

The changing of the seasons has to do with the tilt of the Earth’s axis.

The summer solstice, which is when the Northern Hemisphere sees its longest day and night, happens when the sun sits directly over the Tropic of Cancer. The winter solstice, which will happen in this region at 11:19 p.m. Dec. 21, is when the sun finds itself over the Tropic of Capricorn, and therefore brings the shortest day and longest night of the year, according to the NWS.

Craving some trivia? Solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning “sun,” and sistere, “to stand still,” according to the Farmers’ Almanac.

What will the weather be like?

While Friday’s forecast won’t be all blue skies, it should be a big improvement from the torrential downpours that caused major flooding, evacuations, and transit outages Thursday for South Jersey residents. There will be a chance of showers before 2 p.m. before the day becomes mostly sunny with a high near 80.

Friday night, you could swap the A.C. for open windows, as the temperature is expected to dip to about 60. A beautiful summer weekend lies ahead, with plenty of sunshine and highs in the 80s, according to NWS.

Not a fan of the heat? We’ve got bad news. The season’s outlook is looking pretty warm for the region, The Inquirer’s Anthony R. Wood reported earlier this month.

What’s there to do?

Plenty. Molestice — a free annual block party — will happen this weekend while South Jersey is celebrating with its Haddon Township Summer Solstice Music and Food Festival. Brauhaus Schmitz is marking its 10-year anniversary as well as the solstice Friday, and CultureFest Summer Solstice is scheduled Saturday at the University of Pennsylvania Museum.

Roundup: From the Chester County Balloon Festival to Firefly Music Festival, The Inquirer has a guide of things to do from June 21 to 27.

Take a dip in the pool: Philadelphia has more than 70 free public pools, though not all of them have opened for the season. Check The Inquirer’s map for which ones are ready for a dive, and why putting the schedule together is a whole lot “like a game of Tetris.”

Summer Events Guide: There’s no shortage of things to do beyond this weekend. From festivals and concerts, to museum highlights and a comedy roundup, you may want to bookmark The Inquirer’s 2019 Summer Events Guide.

Where to eat and drink while taking advantage of the weather: Trying to grab a bite to eat outside with a little more room to stretch your legs than sidewalk seating can offer? Reporters Grace Dickinson and Bethany Ao put together a dining guide to Philly’s patios, courtyards and rooftops.

Piazza Pod: The Piazza in Northern Liberties recently opened its “pod park,” with plenty of food, drinks and things to do.