Is it just me or the sun more blinding than ever? Driving is a nightmare at the NC to PA longitude.

[joetheman]

[I_UndergroundPanther]

1. To me

It seems brighter and the light from the sun seems less golden and more whitish.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Back in February, I was literally blinded while driving to work, almost for 5 minutes.

I was scared out of my mind. Couldn't see beyond the end of my hood. Couldn't see my lane. The shoulder was covered with frozen snow and I couldn't see cars in back of me or to the side. I couldn't brake. And I was on a highway. All I could do was slow down to almost 25 mph and tap the brakes.

[Binkie The Clown]

3. It's closer to the southern horizon in the winter.

It always seems brighter to me than it is in summer when it's much higher in the sky.

[rurallib]

4. I always used to hear that the October and February suns were the worst

I will vouch for the October sun in my area (midwest)

[Generic Brad]

5. We're aging and our eyesight is getting worse

Sigh.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

6. This may sound a bit weird...

But have you washed the INSIDE of your windshield?

Dust, pollen, etc... may have adhered to the inside surface due to moisture, and is scattering the light and making things a bit blurry.

We think about cleaning the outside of the windshield, but sometimes the inside needs attention.

Airborne particulates can also cause problems when the sun is at a low angle or with oncoming headlights at night.

I've had both problems before. Wondering if my eyesight is 'going' because things start getting blurry or fuzzy, then cleaning the glass on the inside to find a very marked change.

Just a data point to check out.

Try the simple stuff first, it may save you getting into the expensive stuff.

[wnylib]

7. In winter, sunlight reflection off of snow

can make it seem brighter and blinding. In February, the sky is often clearer for some reason that I can't explain. I just know that the bright February sun is deceptive. From inside, it looks warmer out than it is. In the northern part of the country, February is the coldest month of the year. Maybe the cold temperatures affect the clarity and brightness of the light.

In spring and fall, the sun's rays are more slanted, especially in late afternoon and evening. They seem brighter and cast a golden glow on everything. This is especially beautiful in fall when leaves are turning. But that light can shine directly into your eyes.