On Saturday at 10:19 AM CET, winter officially begins in Switzerland as the sun reaches its southernmost point in its apparent orbit, marking the shortest day of the year. In Zurich, the day will last only 8 hours, 27 minutes, and 31 seconds. Although the shortest day arrives, daylight will gradually increase after this point. Meanwhile, the sun’s highest position at noon will only be 19.2 degrees above the horizon, significantly impacting areas surrounded by high mountains, where prolonged darkness persists.