Summer Solstice 2012: Why Today Is The Longest Day of the Year

Get ready for the longest day of the year when the 2012 Summer Solstice occurs at about 4:09 p.m. PST, marking the beginning of summer. Hot summer days are ahead.

The solstice marks the beginning if summer in the western hemisphere when the sun reaches the furthest point from the equator, according to the Huffington Post. The days get a tad bit shorter from here on out.

The solstice is expected to coincide with a heat wave in the northeast, but here in the San Gabriel Valley the weather should be nice, according to the National Weather Service. The day's high is forecast for 84 degrees.