Cleveland, Ohio – Earth reaches its closest point to the Sun this weekend, a moment known as perihelion, even as much of the United States remains locked in midwinter cold — a contrast that often surprises people each year.
According to the National Weather Service, perihelion occurs when Earth is about 91.4 million miles from the Sun, the closest distance it reaches all year. This typically happens during the first week of January and has no direct connection to why winter is cold across North America.
Seasons are driven by Earth’s axial tilt, not its distance from the Sun. During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight strikes at a lower angle and days are shorter, limiting how much solar energy reaches the surface. Even at perihelion, the Sun’s energy is spread over a larger area, keeping temperatures suppressed.
Across the northern United States, including the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast, winter cold often intensifies during early January as Arctic air masses become more established. Snow cover, longer nights, and polar jet stream patterns all reinforce cold conditions despite Earth’s proximity to the Sun.
By contrast, aphelion — when Earth is farthest from the Sun — occurs in early July, during the height of Northern Hemisphere summer. That distance difference is relatively small compared to the role of Earth’s tilt.
Perihelion serves as a reminder that astronomy and weather don’t always align intuitively. Winter conditions will continue to dominate through the heart of January, with cold air patterns playing a far greater role than Earth’s position in its orbit.
