As we close out the week, here's some news to brighten your weekend. The first 8 p.m. sunset of the year is Saturday. This means we'll have nearly five more hours of light each day than we did back on the winter solstice in December of last year. And that sunshine will stick around for quite some time.
The next 91 days will be our longest of the year. We've already gained most of the light we're going to gain. The summer solstice will be on Friday, June 20th this year, where we'll only have 45 minutes more light than we do right now.
But with the sun peaking at a higher angle each day, more energy will hit the ground, bumping up the rate of snowmelt in our mountains. In fact, on average, the rate of snowpack loss peaks in the next two weeks.
So our recent mountain snow dump will melt quickly, leading to elevated river and streamflow rates over the next several days. Something to be mindful of if you're going to be on or near the Arkansas River over the weekend.
The higher sun angle also means a higher UV index. On Saturday, it peaks at a 10.
On Mother's Day, it peaks at a 9.
And on Monday, it peaks at a 10.
At a UV index of 10, burn times are about 10 minutes. At an 11 - it's 5-10 minutes. So pack the sunscreen, even if you're hiking at high elevations where it's still cold.
The main memo here is we're entering the brightest three months of the year this weekend. So if you can't wait for summer, at least you can plan your days like we're already in it. Just remember the sunscreen.
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