Friday marked Seattle’s first 5 p.m. sunset of 2024

Thursday’s sunset in Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area happened at 4:59 p.m., meaning it was the last pre-5 p.m. sunset for more than six months. The first 5 p.m. sunset ocurred to close out the work week.

Sunsets will occur no earlier than 5 p.m. through October. according to Time and Date, “the world’s top-ranking website for time and time zones.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Solar Calculator confirms the first 5 p.m. sunset in Seattle will occur Friday.

It has been 82 days since the region has had a 5 p.m. sunset.

5 pm sunsets start tomorrow—and last until early November.

Happy Thursday!

— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) January 25, 2024

Previously, both the Oregon and Washington coasts were already enjoying 5 p.m. sunsets, and Portland saw its first on Jan. 21, five days before Seattle.

There was expected to be an approximate 9 hours and 17 minutes of “day length” on Friday, a far cry from the 16 hours of day length Seattle sees on June 21 — the day Seattle has a 9 p.m. sunset. But that is better than the 8.5 hours that was available at the beginning of January.

Each day, Seattle gains approximately 2.5 minutes of daylight. This will continue until mid-March, when Seattle gains 3.5 minutes of sunlight per day through June 21.

For those looking for the best view of said sunset, The Seattle Times, in 2023, called out Richmond Beach Saltwater Park in Shoreline, Seahurst Park in Burien and Seattle’s Carkeek Park, Sunset Hill Park, 32nd Avenue West Boat Launch, Jefferson Park and Betty Bowen Viewpoint (near Kerry Park).

Discovery Park was ranked the most breathtaking location for watching the sun fall into the horizon in Seattle, according to travel website Holidify. Other listed on that site were Sunset Hill Park, Kerry Park, Gas Works Park and Alki Beach.