Winter in New York City is harsh enough–and after being put through the ringer with coldest weather in two years we’ve certainly been enjoying these past few days of warmer weather. And what makes dealing with these frigid temperatures even worse is the woefully early sunsets.
From September to December, we have to deal with shorter and dark days. However, the time has finally come for later sunsets!
December 21, 2024–the Winter Solstice–marked the shortest day of last year, with only a little over nine hours of daylight. That’s 5 hours and 50 minutes shorter than the June solstice. But with that in the past, lighter and longer days are ahead!
The first 5pm sunset of the year in NYC was on Tuesday, January 21st, 2025! And since daylight saving is on Sunday, March 9th, we skip over a 6pm sunset entirely and go straight to 7pm—woohoo!
The year’s first 7pm sunset will be on Thursday, March 13th, meaning that from then onward, sunsets will be later than 7 pm. And if 7 pm still sounds too early, you’ll be delighted to know that come May we’ll return to 8 pm sunsets. 🙌
With later sunsets, we’ll be able to enjoy all of the wonderful things that come with spring in NYC.
Not sure where to watch an NYC sunset? Check out these 15 best spots to catch one. And though sunsets won’t be as late as we’d prefer until summertime, at least we can look ahead to a few more light-filled minutes on the horizon. Plus, don’t forget to catch NYC’s rare red blood moon coloring tonight’s sky.