64 days of darkness: This Alaska city sees its last sunset of 2025 and awaits sunrise in January 2026

No Sunrise Until January: Alaska City Steps Into 64-Day Polar Night After Final 2025 Sunset (Representational Image: Canva)

Utqiagvik has entered its long Arctic winter once again. The town watched its last sunset before seasonal darkness began. Residents now prepare for weeks without direct winter sunlight. This moment signals the return of the yearly Polar Night. The community shifts slowly into its deep northern routine.

Why does Utqiagvik face a 64-day Polar Night?
The Sun stays below Utqiagvik’s horizon for 64 days. Earth’s tilt places the town above the Arctic Circle. The Sun returns only on January 22 next year. Civil twilight still offers faint daylight across early afternoons. The blue light provides limited brightness during winter hours. Utqiagvik lies around eight hundred kilometres northwest of Fairbanks. Around four thousand four hundred people live in the settlement. Archaeological sites there date back to around 500 CE. Temperatures drop sharply because sunlight no longer warms surfaces. This period closely links with formation of the Polar Vortex.

How does the Polar Vortex influence wider weather?
The Polar Vortex traps extremely cold air over Arctic regions. It sometimes pushes frigid northern air toward southern states. These shifts can alter patterns across the Lower Forty-Eight. Utqiagvik endures long darkness across more than two months. Summer brings nearly three months of continuous Arctic daylight. The contrast shapes the community’s unique circadian rhythm yearly.

How does the town adapt to long winter darkness?
Residents rely on twilight and strong northern lights for light. The community prepares steadily for sunlight returning in January. Local life continues despite extreme seasonal light changes yearly. Barrow High School fields America’s northernmost football team locally. Summer daylight supports these activities across long warm days.

What does Polar Night reveal about Arctic life?

The season is one of deep resilience in the population of Utqiagvik. It is a showcase of community adaptability in the harshest of polar environments. A reflection of Earth's tilt that shapes human experiences, the people patiently wait for warmer weather during late January.