Ready for more sunlight? Here’s when & how fast NC will gain daylight again
North Carolinians gained an extra hour of sleep when daylight saving time ended in early November, but the time change left us with earlier sunsets.
It’s probably dark by the time you get home from your evening commute.
The good news is that days will start to get longer later this month, and by late winter, North Carolina residents will see more than 11 hours of sunlight every day.
Here’s when you can expect to see more sunlight.
When will NC start gaining more daylight?
North Carolinians can expect longer days after the winter solstice (the first day of winter), which occurs on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4:19 a.m., according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The days started lengthening on Monday, Dec. 23, according to the almanac, but the increase starts slowly.
“This gain will be minuscule at first, just a matter of seconds a day, but will steadily grow until daily daylight expands by three daily minutes per day in March,” the almanac says.
The daylight gain will slow by May as the summer solstice approaches in June. During the summer solstice, the amount of daylight will peak and give way to the longest day and shortest night of the year.
The opposite is in effect from the summer to winter solstice, as the amount of daylight decreases until it peaks with the longest night of the year in December.
When will the sun set after 7 p.m. again?
We’re still a few months away from dinnertime sunsets.
In February, we’ll see 6 p.m. sunsets again, and the sun will continue to set one minute later than the previous day, according to the website Time and Date. By Saturday, March 8, Charlotte and Raleigh’s sunsets will come around 6:30 p.m.
Our clocks will shift that night, springing us forward one hour (and giving us one fewer hour of sleep).
By Sunday, March 9, Charlotte and Raleigh’s sunsets will be around 7:30 p.m.
When is the longest night of the year for 2024?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the longest night of the year for 2024 is on the winter solstice, Dec. 21.
That’s the date when the Earth’s tilt points most directly away from the sun, according to the North Carolina State Climate Office.
Is there a way to determine how much daylight there is in a day?
Yes, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has a sunrise/sunset calculator that tracks time for every corner of the country.
▪ On Sunday, Dec. 1, there were 10 hours of daylight in Charlotte. By the expected winter solstice date on Saturday, Dec. 21, the calculator says there will be nine hours and 49 minutes of sunlight.
A month later on Tuesday, Jan. 21, the daylight meter is already at 10 hours and 14 minutes. Another month later on Friday, Feb. 21, the daylight count is up to 11 hours and 12 minutes.
▪ In Raleigh, there will be nine hours and 46 minutes of daylight on the winter solstice.
Two months later on Feb. 21, that number jumps to 11 hours and 11 minutes.
This story was originally published December 23, 2024 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Ready for more sunlight? Here’s when & how fast NC will gain daylight again."
