midwinter

Midwinter is a term used for the middle portion of winter in temperate regions. Its exact meaning varies by context, but it generally denotes the depth of winter when daylight is shortest and cold conditions are most pronounced. In literary and cultural usage, midwinter can also refer to the heart of the winter season rather than a fixed date.

Astronomical midwinter is associated with the winter solstice, the moment when the Sun reaches its lowest noonday elevation and daylight is at its shortest in the Northern Hemisphere. The solstice typically falls on December 21 or 22; after this point, days slowly lengthen. In the Southern Hemisphere, the solstice occurs around June 21, marking the peak of winter there.

Meteorological conventions define winter as December through February in the Northern Hemisphere (and June through August in the Southern Hemisphere). The meteorological midpoint of winter is around January 15, so midwinter can refer to this mid-January period rather than the solstice.

Various cultures mark midwinter with festivals and rituals around the solstice, such as the historical Yule and the Dongzhi festival in East Asia. In many Western contexts, midwinter is associated with Christmas and other holidays that occur during the deep winter season.

The term is often used poetically or narratively to evoke the season, without implying an exact date.