Tired of driving in the dark? Here’s when we’ll start getting more daylight in NC
Folks across North Carolina got a bonus hour of sleep when daylight saving time ended in early November — but it came with a trade-off: those early sunsets that make evenings feel extra short.
The upside? The days are already slowly stretching back out, and by late winter, cities around the state will see more than 11 hours of sunlight daily again.
Here’s what to know about when brighter days return, and how to figure out exactly how much daylight you’re getting.
When will NC start gaining more daylight?
North Carolina residents started seeing a little more daylight each day after the winter solstice (the first official day of winter), and daylight saving time — which will spring our clocks forward in a few weeks — will give us more evening sunshine.
Clocks will spring forward for daylight saving time on Sunday, March 8, pushing back the sunset an hour.
This year’s winter solstice fell on Dec. 21, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, and the days began gradually getting longer starting Dec. 22. That extra sunlight adds up slowly through winter and spring, though the pace tapers off by May as the summer solstice approaches. Around the June solstice, daylight hits its yearly high point, bringing the longest day and shortest night of the year. After that, the pattern flips, and daylight steadily shrinks again until December returns with the longest nights.
How much daylight do we get per day?
Yes, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has a sunrise/sunset calculator that tracks time for every corner of the country.
▪ In Charlotte, for example, the calculator shows about nine hours and 46 minutes of daylight on Dec. 22. By the end of February, that climbs to roughly 11 hours and 24 minutes.
▪ In Raleigh, the winter solstice brought nine hours and 44 minutes of daylight. By late February, that grows to about 11 hours and 23 minutes.
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Tired of driving in the dark? Here’s when we’ll start getting more daylight in NC."
