Map Shows Which States Will Get Extra Sunlight in January

Winter is still going strong across America, but even amid all the National Weather Service's winter storm warnings and cold weather, January still brings a taste of spring in the form of more sunlight.

Winter solstice took place on Dec. 21, marking the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and sunlight has been increasing in the U.S. ever since.

"The first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere is marked by the winter solstice, which occurs on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 10:03 A.M. (EST)," the Old Farmer's Almanac states. "For the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs every year between Dec. 20 and 23, most often on Dec. 20 or 21."

Map Shows States Getting the Most Increase in Sunlight in January

January is an exceptionally bright month, because according to research from AccuWeather, "the amount of sunlight increases rapidly through January, with some parts of the United States gaining more than an hour by month's end."

"In the days immediately following the solstice, the daily change was just a few seconds from day to day," AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada, AccuWeather says in a Monday, Jan. 5, feature, "but as January progresses, the shift becomes easier to notice."

By the end of the month, a good portion of the southern United States will see 20 to 30 minutes more daylight compared to early in the month. Northern areas of the U.S. will see an even bigger increase.

According to a map from AccuWeather, the most northern areas of the U.S. will get 60-plus more minutes of sunlight, with states right below them getting 50-plus more minutes. That number diminishes to 20-plus more minutes the further south you go on the map. View the full map below.

Here comes the sun! ☀️ Even as winter holds on, the amount of sunlight increases rapidly through January, with some parts of the United States gaining more than an hour by month’s end. pic.twitter.com/ka2VzRG7cP

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) January 6, 2026

Either way you slice it, the U.S. is looking at much more sunlight by the time Jan. 31 arrives.

However, AccuWeather warns that even though the days are getting longer, the cold temperatures remain.

"The sun remains low in the sky, and its angle is still too weak to deliver much warmth," Lada states. "But as daylight continues to increase in the months ahead, the sun will climb higher overhead — gradually boosting temperatures and signaling the slow march toward spring."

So, don't pack away those winter coats, scarves and hats just yet. Winter still has a ways to go.