Area welcomes winter solstice with outdoor adventures
It might not feel like it yet given recent warm temperatures, but the winter solstice is happening Tuesday, marking the official beginning of winter and the shortest day of the year.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice typically takes place every year on Dec. 21 or 22. It is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight. In the Southern Hemisphere, it usually occurs in June.
For some cultures, the winter solstice is an important astronomical
event as it signifies the change of seasons.
Recent temperatures have been unseasonably warm, poking above 60 degrees within the past week. On Tuesday, the first day of winter, residents in the Columbus area should expect sunny weather and a relatively warm temperature of about 44 degrees — approximately five degrees higher than what people normally experience at this time of the year, according to Logan Clark, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
The Climate Prediction Center has issued a La Niña Advisory, meaning that Ohio might see a warmer-thanaverage winter due to the influence of the cooling surface of the southern Pacific Ocean. But these weather patterns could change quickly given oscillating winds across the globe, Clark said.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac, on the other hand, is calling for a “season of shivers” with below-average temperatures and above-average snowfall. It predicts that the Ohio Valley region, which includes Columbus and southern Ohio, will see its coldest and snowiest periods from mid-december through January.
On Tuesday, local residents can head to a number of public events at locations throughout the Greater Columbus area and farther afield to celebrate the first day of winter. Here are five to consider:
● The Grange Insurance Audubon Center at 505 W. Whittier St. is holding a quiet candlelight winter solstice celebration from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees can explore a labyrinth set up outside the center, take a lantern walk through the luminaries or sip hot chocolate next to the indoor fireplace. The event will mark the end of a 12-day celebration held by the center. Admission is free, but guests need to preregister for the event on the center’s website.
● Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens, a green reserve of over 60 acres located within the Ohio State University campus, is having a free labyrinth walk. Guests will meet at 4 p.m. under the trellis entrance to the Lane Avenue Gardens for a 30-minute guided walk of the Conifer Collection. Then, the labyrinth walk will start at 5:15 p.m. with attendees able to enjoy hot cocoa and roasted chestnuts while they explore the labyrinth.
● Sharon Woods Metro Park is offering an evening stroll to residents on the longest night of the year. The 730acre park in Westerville features forests and fields filled with towering oak, hickory and beech trees as well as an 11-acre lake. Visitors will gather at the Apple Ridge bulletin board at 5 p.m. and spend the next hour completing a 1.5-mile winter solstice walk.
● Rocky Fork Metro Park in Westerville also is featuring a winter solstice hike. It will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; guests will meet at the pavilion and hike throughout the park. Staff members will provide head lamps to help attendees navigate the park after sunset.
● Serpent Mound, a 1,348-foot-long, three-foot-high ancient American Indian site in Adams County, will offer guided tours on the winter solstice between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. for visitors to learn more about the prehistoric effigy mound. The site will stay open until 5:30 p.m.
Yilun Cheng is a Report for America corps member and covers immigration issues for the Dispatch. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at https://bit.ly/3fnsgaz. ycheng@dispatch.com @Chengyilun