eli5: why isn’t the summer Solstice the hottest day of the year?

Question

It is the longest day, so it gets the most sunshine, why is it hotter latter in the summer when the days are getting shorter again???

In: 341

Answer 1

It might help to separate the two things you are thinking about

Maximum heat gained in one day
Vs
Maximum temperature stored

Each day either adds to the stored heat or let’s more heat escape (cooling). The solstice is just the day we can add the most to the storage in one day. But we will add some tomorrow and the next day until we hit the max and then it begins to cool…

Note: this is a vast oversimplification but address the root concept.