Freezing temperatures and Arctic air can make the last few days of February feel like the heart of winter in South Carolina. But behind the cold fronts, the days are lengthening at a steady pace.
We’ve started a stretch of 78 days of gaining over 2 mins 30 secs of daylight each day — gaining 3 hours and 31 mins of daylight by April 27.
— Jon Hansen (@JonHansenTalks) February 13, 2025
Roughly 60% of the daylight we ultimately gain happens now.
This is when you really notice the change!
Sunrise 6:49a
Sunset 5:20p pic.twitter.com/3nu3pWhmhP
South Carolinas Public media digital Meteorologist Leslie Hudson explains why February marks one of the most noticeable light shifts of the year across the Palmetto State.
The spring equinox arrives March 20, marking the point when day and night are nearly equal. From there, daylight continues to expand until the June solstice — a steady climb that signals winter’s gradual retreat.
More sunshine ahead ☀️☀️ Daylight increases throughout February across America, with places such as New York City, Minneapolis, Denver, and Seattle gaining more than 60 minutes of daylight throughout the month. https://t.co/5WKNsEdHDI pic.twitter.com/Ei16aTCztm
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) February 2, 2026