Washington Sunsets Drop to 4 p.m. as Clocks Change

Daylight in Washington state will fall below five hours of afternoon light starting November 1. According to data from sunrise-sunset.org, the sun will set at 4:51 p.m. on that date, marking the first time this season it will dip below the 5 p.m. threshold.

The shift coincides with the end of daylight saving time. Clocks will fall back from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. This adjustment occurs the morning after the first Saturday Halloween since 2020. Residents will gain one extra hour of sleep for the remainder of the winter months.

Sunset times will continue to move earlier through December. On some early December evenings, the sun will set as early as 4:17 p.m. The sun will not set after 5:00 p.m. again until late January. It will not cross the 6:00 p.m. mark until early March.

The period of earliest sunsets aligns with what locals often term the big dark. Afternoon light will decrease significantly during this stretch before gradually returning. Daylight saving time will resume on March 14, 2027, reversing the clock change and extending evening hours once more.