Weather Insider: Summer solstice explained

As of 1:50 PM this afternoon, we are officially in the summer season! We have seasons as a result of the earth's tilt. By definition, a solstice occurs at the point in Earth's orbit when the planet reaches its peak tilt toward the sun.

During the summer solstice, the sun appears at the highest point in the sky and receives the most solar rays, giving us the longest day of the year. In fact, at the North Pole, they experience perpetual daylight for months on end due to the tilt, and the South Pole is shrouded in near-total darkness. Because we are facing the sun, we are entering our warmest season in the northern hemisphere. Conversely, the southern hemisphere is entering its coldest season.