As the winter solstice draws nearer, SF sunsets happen earlier and earlier.
This Friday, Dec. 1, San Francisco will begin to experience its earliest sunsets of the year at 4:50pm. This will continue through Dec. 11, at which point the sunset times will start to increase again incrementally. Regardless, the sun will still be going down before 5pm until December 31.
Sunset milestones for 2023-2024 in San Francisco
See more at TimeAndDate.com.
2023 sunset milestones
- Dec. 1-11, 2023: Earliest sunsets of 2023 at 4:50pm
- Dec. 21, 2023: Winter solstice, shortest day of 2023
- Dec. 31, 2023: Sun begins setting after 5pm again
2024 sunset milestones
- Feb. 27, 2024: First post-6pm sunset of 2024
- Mar. 10, 2024: Daylight Saving Time begins, first post-7pm sunset of 2024
- May 1, 2024: First post-8pm sunset of 2024
- June 8, 2024: First post-8:30pm sunset of 2024
- June 20, 2024: Summer solstice, longest day of 2024
- June 21-July 3, 2024: Latest sunsets of 2024 at 8:35pm
What are the summer and winter solstices?
The summer solstice occurs when the sun is farthest north in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning the earth’s North Pole is tilted at about 23.4° toward the sun. As a result of the earth’s placement in its orbit, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere experience the longest day of the year. The summer solstice happened on June 21, 2023, and next year’s is on June 20, 2024.
Six months later, the same phenomenon occurs for the Southern Hemisphere during our winter solstice. This is when we experience the shortest day of the year, which this year falls on December 21, 2023.
How to make the most of the Bay Area during these early sunsets
Winter in San Francisco means fewer daylight hours to enjoy, but it also brings the merriest months of the year around the holidays. Here we’ll link a few articles that may help you to lean into these cozy vibes:
- Roaring fireplaces to warm you up in San Francisco
- 2023 Bay Area holiday markets for gift shopping
- Bay Area ice skating rinks
- Where to have a snow day near the Bay Area
- Where to get the best hot chocolate in SF
- SF bakeries cooking up seasonal baked goods
- The best SF ramen shops to warm you up