Clocks Drop Back, Pushing Seattle Sunsets Below Five P.M.

Washington residents will lose an hour of evening daylight this weekend as clocks fall back from 2:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Nov. 1. This shift, occurring immediately after the first Saturday Halloween since 2020, marks the official end of daylight saving time. While the change grants an extra hour of sleep, it also compresses the afternoon light, a trend that continues through the winter months.

The immediate impact on sunset times is measurable. On Nov. 1, the sun will set at approximately 4:51 p.m. in Seattle. The final light will linger until around 5:23 p.m. From that point forward, sunsets will grow progressively earlier as the days shorten.

By the beginning of December, the sun will dip below the horizon at roughly 4:17 p.m. This period is often referred to by locals as the "big dark." The earliest sunsets of the season will arrive before the calendar turns to the new year, demanding earlier departures from work and school.

The return to longer days is not imminent. The sun will not set after 5:00 p.m. again until late January. Even then, the sun will not clear the 6:00 p.m. mark until early March. Daylight saving time will not resume until March 14, 2027, leaving Washington in standard time for the entire interim period.

These specific times are derived from data provided by sunrise-sunset.org. The gradual decline in daylight hours is a natural seasonal occurrence, but the artificial shift of the clock amplifies the perception of the darkening winter evenings. For now, the state faces a few months of earlier nights.