How Sunrises And Sunsets Change As Daylight Saving Comes To An End

Home Shredded After Missouri Storms

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W​hether you like it or not, the clocks are falling back again Sunday, Nov. 3 and that means sunrise and sunset times will be changing. This change is compounded by the amount of daylight shrinking as we approach the winter solstice on Dec. 21.

B​elow we take a look at what the change to standard time means for sunrises and sunsets, and what to expect as the winter solstice arrives.

(​MORE: Why Do We Change Time Every Fall?)

H​ow will the end of DST impact sunrise times? S​unrises have been getting later since the summer solstice, but that trend will make a quick and short reversal on Nov. 3. Moving the clocks back an hour means the sun will rise an hour earlier.

For many areas, this means instead of waiting until 7:30 a.m. or almost 8 a.m. for the sun to show its presence, the sun will rise in the 6 a.m. hour. This can be a good thing if you have to get up and moving before 8 a.m.

What about sunset times? Sunsets have also been inching earlier since July, but with the end of daylight saving time that change will be accelerated. Falling back on the clock will make sunsets an hour earlier.

T​his is the part of switching to standard time that can be hard to adjust to for many. Instead of sunsets closer to 6 p.m., darkness will arrive by 5 p.m. in many areas of the Lower 48.

(192 hours: Further beef up your forecast with our detailed, hour-by-hour breakdown for the next 8 days – only available on our Premium Pro experience.)

A​reas across the northern tier lose more than an hour of daylight from Nov. 1 to Dec. 21, while areas farther south lose 30 minutes to an hour of sunshine each day.

The limited amount of daylight makes the winter months difficult and is especially challenging if you spend precious few those hours at work.

(​MORE: Here's How To Adjust Your Sleep Cycle)

Daylight is even more of a commodity in Alaska. The sun sets on Nov. 18 at 1:27 p.m. in the afternoon and doesn't rise again until Jan. 22 in Utqiagvik, Alaska, in the Arctic Circle.

F​airbanks, Alaska, loses more than four hours of daylight from Nov. 1 to the winter solstice. On Dec. 21, the sun will rise at 10:58 a.m. and set at 2:40 pm.

A bit to the south in Anchorage, Alaska, there will be almost five and a half hours of daylight on Dec. 21. The sun will rise at 10:14 a.m. with a sunset at 3:41 p.m. on the winter solstice.

(​MORE: What To Know About The Annual Fall Time Change)

Linda Lam is a lead meteorologist at weather.com. Growing up in Massachusetts she developed a fascination for winter storms and hurricanes that led her to pursue a career in meteorology.