Summer solstice is around the corner: Here's how, when we'll start losing daylight

The official start of summer is around the corner. Parts of the West have already experienced triple-digit heat and wildfires.

Thursday is the summer solstice, an astronomical event that marks the beginning of the summer season.

What is the summer solstice?

The summer solstice occurs when the sun travels north in its path in the sky, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. At this time, the Earth reaches a point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its highest tilt toward the sun.

When this happens, it's summer for the Northern Hemisphere, while in the Southern Hemisphere it's the start of winter.

The almanac states that the summer solstice starts at 1:51 p.m. on Thursday.

When will the sun set on June 21?

During the summer solstice, states will enjoy the most daylight and shortest night of the year. According to the almanac, sunrise in Sacramento will be at 5:40 a.m. and sunset will be at 8:35 p.m.

Do days get shorter after official start of summer?

After the summer solstice, the days will get progressively shorter. According to Time and Date, the days will slowly get shorter during the summer at daily intervals into the fall season.

By the fall equinox, the first official day of fall, on Sept. 22, the sun is expected to rise at 6:54 a.m. Sunset on this day is expected to occur at 7:01 p.m.

On the fall equinox, the Golden State will only have about 13 hours and 22 minutes of daylight.

On the winter solstice, Dec. 21, California will see 9 hours and 28 minutes of daylight.