Washington sunsets will hit 4 p.m. by early December

Washington residents will see the sun disappear at 4:17 p.m. on some evenings in early December, according to data from sunrise-sunset.org. This marks the earliest sunset time for the year before the days begin to lengthen again.

The shift toward earlier evenings begins on Sunday, Nov. 1, when the state ends daylight saving time. At 2:00 a.m., clocks will fall back to 1:00 a.m. This change follows the first Saturday Halloween since 2020. The adjustment grants residents an extra hour of sleep through winter but reduces afternoon light levels immediately.

On Nov. 1, the sun will set around 4:51 p.m., with twilight lasting until 5:23 p.m. Sunset times will move earlier every day through the following week. By the start of December, the sun will dip below the horizon before 4:20 p.m. in many parts of the state.

The return of longer days is months away. The sun will not set after 5:00 p.m. again until late January. It will not set after 6:00 p.m. until early March. Daylight saving time resumes on March 14, 2027, when clocks spring forward one hour.

The period between November and January is often referred to as the big dark. During these months, evening light diminishes rapidly after sunset. The data shows a consistent trend of earlier sunsets as the state moves deeper into winter.