The Big Dark is what Seattle calls the stretch from November to February, when the days are short and the sky is mostly grey. In December the sun sets as early as 4:17 pm, and on the shortest day, 21 December, Seattle gets 8 hours and 25 minutes of daylight. That is about seven and a half hours less than in June.
What is the Big Dark in Seattle?
It starts when the clocks go back on the first Sunday of November (1 November in 2026). Sunset jumps to before 5 pm that day and stays there until late January. From about 23 November to 18 January, Seattle gets less than nine hours of daylight a day.
Cloud makes it feel darker still. NOAA averages show Sea-Tac Airport gets about 73 hours of sunshine in November and 53 in December, roughly a quarter or less of what a clear sky would give, and it rains on about 18 days in each of those months. Our Seattle Grey Index has the full year month by month.
What time does it get dark in Seattle?
From late November to early January the sun sets between 4:17 pm and 4:30 pm. Civil twilight, the point when it is too dark to read outside without lights, follows about 35 minutes later, so it is properly dark before 5 pm. Here is how sunrise, sunset and daylight change through the Big Dark of 2026 to 2027.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 October 2026 | 7:08 am | 6:48 pm | 11 h 40 min |
| 31 October | 7:52 am | 5:53 pm | 10 h 1 min |
| 1 November (clocks go back) | 6:53 am | 4:51 pm | 9 h 58 min |
| 15 November | 7:14 am | 4:32 pm | 9 h 18 min |
| 1 December | 7:36 am | 4:19 pm | 8 h 43 min |
| 10 December (earliest sunset) | 7:46 am | 4:17 pm | 8 h 31 min |
| 21 December (shortest day) | 7:54 am | 4:20 pm | 8 h 25 min |
| 1 January 2027 (latest sunrise) | 7:57 am | 4:28 pm | 8 h 31 min |
| 15 January | 7:52 am | 4:45 pm | 8 h 52 min |
| 1 February | 7:35 am | 5:10 pm | 9 h 35 min |
| 15 February | 7:15 am | 5:32 pm | 10 h 18 min |
| 28 February | 6:51 am | 5:52 pm | 11 h 1 min |
When is the shortest day in Seattle?
21 December. In 2026 the sun rises at 7:54 am and sets at 4:20 pm, for 8 hours and 25 minutes of daylight. At noon it climbs only 19 degrees above the horizon. On 21 June the same city gets 15 hours and 59 minutes.
The earliest sunset is not on the shortest day. It comes around 10 December, at 4:17 pm. The latest sunrise comes around New Year, at 7:57 am. That is why the evenings start getting lighter before the mornings do.
When does the Big Dark end?
Slowly, then quickly. By the end of January sunset is back after 5 pm, and through February Seattle gains about three minutes of daylight a day, reaching 11 hours by 28 February. Clocks go forward on 14 March 2027, which pushes sunset past 7 pm. The sun comes back too. NOAA averages show February gets about 109 hours of sunshine, double December's 53.
How do you get through the Big Dark?
You can't change the forecast, but you can plan around it. A few things that help:
- Get outside around midday. In December solar noon in Seattle is just after 12 pm, when the light is at its strongest.
- Keep a steady morning. Wake at the same time each day, even when it is still dark at 7:30. Our grey-day morning routine has a simple plan.
- Plan the wet afternoons. Keep a list of things to do on a rainy day in Seattle, so a grey weekend still has something in it.
- Make the early evenings cozy. When it is dark by 5, a calm evening routine helps. Try our guide to winding down when it's dark early.
- Think about vitamin D. Research from Boston (42°N) found skin made no vitamin D from sunlight from November through February (Webb, Kline and Holick, 1988). Seattle sits further north, at 47.6°N. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements recommends 600 IU a day for most adults and 800 IU over 70. Our guide to vitamin D in Pacific Northwest winters covers where to get it, and Sunbreak is our daily vitamin D3 2,000 IU.
If the dark months weigh on your mood for weeks at a time, talk to your doctor.
FAQ
What time does it get dark in Seattle in winter?
From late November to early January the sun sets between 4:17 pm and 4:30 pm, and it is fully dark about 35 minutes later.
How many hours of daylight does Seattle get in winter?
As little as 8 hours and 25 minutes on 21 December. Seattle has less than nine hours of daylight a day from about 23 November to 18 January.
When does it start getting lighter in Seattle?
Evenings start getting lighter after the earliest sunset around 10 December, and the days get longer after 21 December. By the end of February Seattle has 11 hours of daylight again.
Ray™'s take: The Big Dark is long, but it always ends. Until then I keep my umbrella up and my days in order with our Morning, Afternoon and Evening lineups. Curious how Seattle compares? See the cloudiest cities in the US.
Sources and method
Sunrise, sunset, day length, civil twilight and noon sun height for Seattle, October 2026 to February 2027 and 21 June 2026: timeanddate.com. Days under nine hours of daylight and before 5 pm sunsets: calculated with the NOAA solar equations for Seattle (47.6°N) and checked against timeanddate.com. Sunshine hours: NOAA averages for Sea-Tac Airport, 1961 to 1990, the latest period NOAA published before its sunshine sensors were retired. Days with rain: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Sea-Tac Airport. Vitamin D: Webb, Kline and Holick, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1988, and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article is for education and is not medical advice.