The length of a day could be shorter than usual on August 5 due to the Earth’s slightly faster rotation rate. According to scientists, the planet is expected to rotate up to 1.25 milliseconds faster on this date.
This change is imperceptible to the human eye but can be picked up by atomic clocks used for space navigation and GPS systems. The tiny changes add up over time, and if left uncorrected, could result in significant positioning errors.
Scientists have been tracking the Earth’s rotation since the 1960s and 70s, noting a steady increase in speed. This trend is similar to what occurred during leap seconds, which are added to calendar years to account for the extra time it takes the Earth to orbit the sun.
In recent months, there have been several days where the Earth has appeared to rotate more quickly than usual, with August 5 being the next predicted event. The changes in rotation rate are caused by various factors, including atmospheric wind currents and the position of the moon.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/aug-5-shortest-days-year/story?id=124181038