Earlier Sunsets, Shorter Days As 'The Big Dark' Settles Over WA

SEATTLE — The sun is rising later, setting earlier, and increasingly cloaked by clouds in between, as Puget Sound enters the time of year known colloquially as "The Big Dark." Wednesday brought the region its last sunset after 6 p.m. it will see until March, and the looming end of daylight saving time means sunsets before 5 p.m. are just around the corner.

As Axios reports, Seattle sheds sunshine faster than most other cities this time of year, losing a few minutes each day, while frequent cloud cover keeps things dim in the daylight hours. While fall took its time to settle in this year, the greater Seattle area is already getting a taste of what lies ahead.

The boost in precipitation is a welcome one after Seattle logged its driest 120-day stretch as an extended bout of summer heat wore out its welcome.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration favors another cool and wet winter for Western Washington amid a rare third consecutive La Niña pattern, which means there's a good shot for gloomier days ahead. The weather phenomenon was in place in February 2021, when Seattle logged its snowiest day in more than 50 years, and again in December when snow blanketed Western Washington and temperatures plummeted in the days following Christmas.

In the near term, rain systems stretch on as far as the forecast can see, and climate outlooks favor wet weather lingering well into November.

Despite legislation overwhelmingly approved by state lawmakers in 2019 to keep the Evergreen State on daylight saving time year-round, stalled federal action means Washington will still "fall back" this year on Nov. 6. That change will accelerate the loss of afternoon daylight, with sunset arriving before 4:45 p.m. The days will grow shorter until the winter solstice arrives a few days before Christmas.

The second week of December will see the earliest sunsets, arriving at 4:17 p.m.

Here are a few dates to keep in mind:

• Oct. 27
  • Sunset: 5:59 p.m.
  • Day length: 10 hours, 13 minutes
• Nov. 6 (Daylight saving time ends)
  • Sunset: 4:44 p.m.
  • Day length: 9 hours, 42 minutes
• Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving)
  • Sunset: 4:22 p.m.
  • Day length: 8 hours, 46 minutes
• Dec. 21 (Winter solstice)
  • Sunset: 4:20 p.m.
  • Day length: 8 hours, 25 minutes
• Jan. 26, 2023
  • Sunset: 5:01 p.m.
  • Day length: 9 hours, 18 minutes
• March 5, 2023
  • Sunset: 6 p.m.
  • Day length: 11 hours, 17 minutes
• March 12, 2023 (Daylight saving time begins)
  • Sunset: 7:10 p.m.
  • Day length: 11 hours, 42 minutes