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Morning Start: Winter Solstice

Your morning start for Wednesday, Dec. 21
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(Jad Warde/Facebook)

Good morning Okanagan! Hope you’re staying warm and travelling safe in this weather. Let’s get your day started!

Fun Fact: Today is the winter solstice! Here are some facts about the first day of winter:

  • It’s the shortest day of the year;
  • The solstice is the point when the sun is directly overhead of the Tropic of Capricorn. This year it happens today at 1:48 p.m.;
  • Today has almost nine hours less sunlight than the summer solstice. We’ll get seven hours and 50 minutes of sunlight today while the summer solstice usually gets 16 hours and 38 minutes of sunlight;
  • On this day, Helsinki, Finland only gets five hours of 49 minutes of sunlight;
  • Solstice means ‘sun stand still’;
  • Today is the shortest day of the year but not the earliest sunset;
  • Every planet has a winter solstice.

On this day

In 1891, the first basketball game with rules created by Canadian James Naismith is played by 18 students in Springfield, Massachusetts.

In 1894, Mackenzie Bowell becomes the fifth Prime Minister of Canada.

In 1898, radium is discovered.

In 1913, first crossword is printed.

In 1937, Disney’s first animated full-length film, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ premieres.

In 1969, Vince Lombradi coaches his last NFL game.

In 2012, ‘Gangnam Style’ becomes the first YouTube video with more than one billion views.

National holidays

Today is Winter Solstice, Don’t Make Your Bed Day, Look on the Bright Side Day, Humbug Day, National Crossword Puzzle Day, National Flashlight Day, National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day, National French Fried Shrimp Day, National Coquito Day, National Short Girl Appreciation Day, and World Snowboard Day.

Weather forecast from Environment Canada

In Kelowna

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In Penticton

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In Revelstoke

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In Salmon Arm

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In Vernon

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In case you missed it

Snowstorm prompts temporary parking ban for parts of Kelowna. Learn more here.

Penticton’s Discovery House lights the way for those with addictions. Learn more here.

Vernon woman missing for 2 weeks. Learn more here.

Trending

Seat belts are a lot more useful than you think.

Celebrity birthdays

If your birthday is today, you share a birthday with actor Samuel L. Jackson (74), actor Steven Yeun (39), actress Madelyn Cline (25), actress Jane Fonda (85), actress Kaitlyn Dever (26), actor Kiefer Sutherland (56), actor Ray Romano (65), and actor Tom Payne (40).

Have an awesome Wednesday everyone!


@cunninghamjordy
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com

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Jordy Cunningham

About the Author: Jordy Cunningham

Hailing from Ladner, B.C., I have been passionate about sports, especially baseball, since I was young. In 2018, I graduated from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops with a Bachelor of Journalism degree
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