Sunsets over the lake

As fall approaches the sun is setting earlier and earlier and further to the south on the horizon.   The sun is rising close to 6:30am and setting by 7:00pm, with twilight close to 7:30pm.  Several months ago as summer began, the days were long with the sun rising as early as 5:10am with the skies first becoming light at 4:33am, while the sun didn't set until 8:40pm, with the skies remaining light until 9:17pm, making for some late starts for the numerous fireworks displays folks enjoy throughout the summer in Wisconsin.    

Sailing into the sunset

The sun drops below horizon across the lake.

The next morning a rainbow appears on the horizon
heralding the arrival of rain shortly.

As the days grow shorter, we approach the short days of winter.  With the official arrival of winter on December 21, the sun will rise at 7:52am after the sky begins to at 6:52 and set at 4:17, with the last light fading by 4:50pm., less than 9 hours of sunlight, on a bright day.  

To find out when the sun rises and sets on a given date in Wisconsin, you can enter your location at this handy website:

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/usa/Wisconsin.asp

And along with that comes an average annual snowfall of 41.41", with an average of 68.42 days with 1" or more of snow on the ground-over 2 months.  Of course, one of the first things you discover about weather in Wisconsin is that it is never "normal", always being much drier, colder, hotter, wetter than "average"according to our favorite local weathermen.

To check out those seemingly atypical "averages", this website offers up all kinds of averages to consider:

http://www.usa.com/sherwood-wi-weather.htm

It does indeed confirm my suspicion that it is windier here "average", particularly early in the year.  I remember some very windy mornings waiting at the bus stop with our boys in Green Bay when they were young.