Utqiagvik, Alaska Enters 64-Day Polar Night: How Residents Live Without Sunlight Until 2026

Nov 21, 2025 03:40 pm CST

The northernmost American city Utqiagvik, Alaska begins its annual 64-day Polar Night period where the sun won't rise until January 2026. Despite the extended darkness caused by Earth's axial tilt, the 4,400 residents continue normal life with civil twilight providing minimal illumination. This natural phenomenon influences Arctic weather patterns and demonstrates the remarkable human adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.