The first day of winter arrives this week, marked by the solstice

A car slowly travels down a road after a second round of snow passed through northern Minnesota Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, in Duluth, Minn. (Holden Law/AP)

Temperatures are dropping across the U.S., as the first day of winter, also called the winter solstice, takes place this week across the country and the Northern Hemisphere.

The event begins at 4:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 21, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.