SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — June 21 marks the astronomical start to summer in the northern hemisphere. It's often referred to as the longest day of the year because it means the one day of the year where there is the most sunlight.
Summer officially kicks off in Spokane at 8:54 a.m. on Friday.
The solstice doesn't happen at the same day or time every year. It's simply the instant when the sun is at its northernmost point from the equator. That can be on June 20, 21 or 22.
The sun's rays hit Earth at their most-direct angle. Once the sun reaches its highest point in the sky where you are on this day, your shadow will be the shortest that it will be all year long at that moment.
Below are the times of sunrise and sunset, and Spokane's total day length, on Friday:
Despite the kickoff to what is typically supposed to be a warm season, the Spokane area will see unusually cool temperatures on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
High temperatures in Spokane are expected to hit only the mid-60s on Friday, marking the coolest June 21 since 2013. That year, the high was 62 degrees.
According to the National Weather Service, the average high is in the mid-70s in late June.
This comes after many days in June skipped over most of the expected 70-degree temperatures and instead jumped to above average temperatures, with plenty of days in the 80s and 90s.
Fourteen of the first 17 days of June included above-average high temperatures.
Friday will bring storm clouds and some showers to Spokane. Skies should clear in the evening.
This weekend, a few lingering showers will hover over the Spokane area, with mostly cloudy skies and afternoon temperatures in the low 70s.
Temperatures are not expected to return to the 80s and 90s in Spokane for at least the next week.