Sunrise, Sunset
Published by Steve Campion. Category: Geography & Geology
Whether you can see it or not, the sun rises over Washington everyday. Honest. Sometimes your only clue is the brightening of clouds. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the old orb itself.
We thought we’d step into the role of a Northwest almanac by creating a perpetual calendar of sunrises and sunsets — a list of times on a weekly basis throughout the year. We’ve been wanting one of these for years, so we’re as pleased as anyone that we finally got around to making it ourselves. We chose six geographically diverse cities so you can extrapolate times for your location by picking cities on either side of you and averaging their data, skewing toward the closer city. It might not give you a precise time but it should land you within a very few minutes.1
Once you know when they happen, we hope you enjoy every sunrise and sunset you’re lucky enough to experience.
Sunrise times are AM; sunsets are PM. Times displayed in italics are Pacific Daylight Time (PDT); all other times are Pacific Standard Time (PST). Two non-header rows in the table are in bold type. Those dates fall during the weeks2 we transition between PST and PDT. Times in those rows are displayed as PST, so add one hour to the times if the specific day for which you’re calculating is daylight time.
SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES FOR 6 CITIES IN WASHINGTON STATE
| – | Westport | – | Seattle | – | Wenatchee | – | Spokane | – | Bellingham | – | Vancouver | |||||||
| rise | set | rise | set | rise | set | rise | set | rise | set | rise | set | |||||||
| JAN 1 | 8:02 | 4:39 | 7:58 | 4:29 | 7:49 | 4:21 | 7:38 | 4:09 | 8:03 | 4:25 | 7:51 | 4:38 | ||||||
| JAN 8 | 8:01 | 4:46 | 7:56 | 4:36 | 7:48 | 4:29 | 7:37 | 4:16 | 8:01 | 4:32 | 7:50 | 4:45 | ||||||
| JAN 15 | 7:57 | 4:55 | 7:53 | 4:45 | 7:44 | 4:38 | 7:33 | 4:25 | 7:58 | 4:42 | 7:47 | 4:53 | ||||||
| JAN 22 | 7:52 | 5:02 | 7:47 | 4:55 | 7:38 | 4:48 | 7:28 | 4:35 | 7:51 | 4:52 | 7:42 | 5:03 | ||||||
| JAN 29 | 7:45 | 5:15 | 7:40 | 5:06 | 7:31 | 4:59 | 7:20 | 4:46 | 7:43 | 5:03 | 7:35 | 5:13 | ||||||
| FEB 5 | 7:36 | 5:26 | 7:30 | 5:17 | 7:22 | 5:09 | 7:11 | 4:57 | 7:34 | 5:15 | 7:27 | 5:23 | ||||||
| FEB 12 | 7:25 | 5:35 | 7:20 | 5:28 | 7:11 | 5:20 | 7:00 | 5:08 | 7:23 | 5:26 | 7:17 | 5:33 | ||||||
| FEB 19 | 7:14 | 5:47 | 7:08 | 5:39 | 7:00 | 5:31 | 6:48 | 5:19 | 7:10 | 5:38 | 7:06 | 5:43 | ||||||
| FEB 26 | 7:01 | 5:58 | 6:55 | 5:50 | 6:47 | 5:42 | 6:36 | 5:30 | 6:57 | 5:49 | 6:54 | 5:53 | ||||||
| MAR 5 | 6:48 | 6:08 | 6:42 | 6:00 | 6:34 | 5:52 | 6:22 | 5:41 | 6:44 | 6:00 | 6:42 | 6:03 | ||||||
| MAR 12 | 6:35 | 6:18 | 6:28 | 6:11 | 6:20 | 6:03 | 6:08 | 5:51 | 6:29 | 6:11 | 6:29 | 6:13 | ||||||
| MAR 19 | 7:21 | 7:28 | 7:14 | 7:21 | 7:06 | 7:13 | 6:54 | 7:01 | 7:15 | 7:21 | 7:15 | 7:22 | ||||||
| MAR 26 | 7:07 | 7:38 | 7:00 | 7:31 | 6:52 | 7:23 | 6:40 | 7:11 | 7:00 | 7:32 | 7:02 | 7:31 | ||||||
| APR 2 | 6:54 | 7:47 | 6:46 | 7:41 | 6:38 | 7:33 | 6:26 | 7:21 | 6:45 | 7:42 | 6:49 | 7:40 | ||||||
| APR 9 | 6:40 | 7:57 | 6:32 | 7:51 | 6:24 | 7:42 | 6:12 | 7:31 | 6:31 | 7:53 | 6:36 | 7:49 | ||||||
| APR 16 | 6:27 | 8:06 | 6:18 | 8:01 | 6:11 | 7:52 | 5:59 | 7:41 | 6:17 | 8:03 | 6:23 | 7:58 | ||||||
| APR 23 | 6:14 | 8:16 | 6:06 | 8:10 | 5:58 | 8:02 | 5:46 | 7:51 | 6:04 | 8:14 | 6:11 | 8:08 | ||||||
| APR 30 | 6:03 | 8:26 | 5:54 | 8:20 | 5:46 | 8:12 | 5:34 | 8:01 | 5:51 | 8:24 | 6:00 | 8:17 | ||||||
| MAY 7 | 5:52 | 8:35 | 5:43 | 8:30 | 5:35 | 8:21 | 5:23 | 8:10 | 5:40 | 8:34 | 5:50 | 8:25 | ||||||
| MAY 14 | 5:43 | 8:44 | 5:33 | 8:39 | 5:26 | 8:30 | 5:13 | 8:20 | 5:30 | 8:44 | 5:41 | 8:34 | ||||||
| MAY 21 | 5:35 | 8:52 | 5:25 | 8:48 | 5:18 | 8:39 | 5:05 | 8:28 | 5:21 | 8:53 | 5:33 | 8:42 | ||||||
| MAY 28 | 5:28 | 9:00 | 5:18 | 8:55 | 5:11 | 8:47 | 4:59 | 8:36 | 5:14 | 9:01 | 5:27 | 8:49 | ||||||
| JUN 4 | 5:24 | 9:06 | 5:14 | 9:02 | 5:07 | 8:53 | 4:54 | 8:42 | 5:10 | 9:07 | 5:23 | 8:55 | ||||||
| JUN 11 | 5:22 | 9:11 | 5:11 | 9:07 | 5:04 | 8:58 | 4:52 | 8:47 | 5:07 | 9:13 | 5:21 | 9:00 | ||||||
| JUN 18 | 5:21 | 9:14 | 5:11 | 9:10 | 5:04 | 9:01 | 4:51 | 8:51 | 5:06 | 9:16 | 5:21 | 9:03 | ||||||
| JUN 25 | 5:23 | 9:15 | 5:13 | 9:11 | 5:06 | 9:02 | 4:53 | 8:52 | 5:08 | 9:17 | 5:23 | 9:04 | ||||||
| JUL 2 | 5:27 | 9:14 | 5:16 | 9:10 | 5:09 | 9:01 | 4:56 | 8:51 | 5:12 | 9:16 | 5:26 | 9:03 | ||||||
| JUL 9 | 5:32 | 9:11 | 5:22 | 9:07 | 5:14 | 8:58 | 5:02 | 8:48 | 5:17 | 9:13 | 5:31 | 9:00 | ||||||
| JUL 16 | 5:38 | 9:06 | 5:28 | 9:02 | 5:21 | 8:53 | 5:08 | 8:43 | 5:24 | 9:07 | 5:37 | 8:56 | ||||||
| JUL 23 | 5:46 | 8:59 | 5:36 | 8:55 | 5:29 | 8:46 | 5:16 | 8:36 | 5:32 | 9:00 | 5:44 | 8:49 | ||||||
| JUL 30 | 5:54 | 8:51 | 5:44 | 8:46 | 5:37 | 8:38 | 5:25 | 8:27 | 5:41 | 8:51 | 5:52 | 8:41 | ||||||
| AUG 6 | 6:03 | 8:41 | 5:53 | 8:36 | 5:46 | 8:28 | 5:34 | 8:17 | 5:51 | 8:40 | 6:00 | 8:32 | ||||||
| AUG 13 | 6:12 | 8:30 | 6:03 | 8:25 | 5:55 | 8:16 | 5:43 | 8:05 | 6:00 | 8:28 | 6:09 | 8:21 | ||||||
| AUG 20 | 6:21 | 8:18 | 6:12 | 8:12 | 6:04 | 8:04 | 5:52 | 7:53 | 6:10 | 8:15 | 6:17 | 8:10 | ||||||
| AUG 27 | 6:30 | 8:05 | 6:21 | 7:59 | 6:14 | 7:51 | 6:02 | 7:40 | 6:20 | 8:02 | 6:26 | 7:57 | ||||||
| SEP 3 | 6:39 | 7:52 | 6:31 | 7:46 | 6:23 | 7:37 | 6:11 | 7:26 | 6:30 | 7:48 | 6:34 | 7:44 | ||||||
| SEP 10 | 6:48 | 7:38 | 6:40 | 7:31 | 6:32 | 7:23 | 6:20 | 7:12 | 6:40 | 7:33 | 6:43 | 7:31 | ||||||
| SEP 17 | 6:57 | 7:24 | 6:49 | 7:17 | 6:42 | 7:09 | 6:30 | 6:57 | 6:50 | 7:18 | 6:52 | 7:18 | ||||||
| SEP 24 | 7:06 | 7:10 | 6:59 | 7:03 | 6:51 | 6:55 | 6:39 | 6:43 | 7:00 | 7:03 | 7:00 | 7:04 | ||||||
| OCT 1 | 7:15 | 6:56 | 7:09 | 6:48 | 7:00 | 6:41 | 6:49 | 6:29 | 7:10 | 6:49 | 7:09 | 6:51 | ||||||
| OCT 8 | 7:25 | 6:42 | 7:18 | 6:34 | 7:10 | 6:27 | 6:59 | 6:15 | 7:21 | 6:32 | 7:18 | 6:37 | ||||||
| OCT 15 | 7:35 | 6:29 | 7:28 | 6:21 | 7:20 | 6:13 | 7:09 | 6:01 | 7:30 | 6:20 | 7:27 | 6:25 | ||||||
| OCT 22 | 7:45 | 6:17 | 6:39 | 6:08 | 7:30 | 6:01 | 7:19 | 5:49 | 7:41 | 6:07 | 7:37 | 6:13 | ||||||
| OCT 29 | 7:55 | 6:05 | 7:49 | 5:56 | 7:41 | 5:49 | 7:29 | 5:37 | 7:52 | 5:55 | 7:46 | 6:02 | ||||||
| NOV 5 | 7:05 | 4:55 | 7:00 | 4:46 | 6:51 | 4:38 | 6:40 | 4:26 | 7:03 | 4:43 | 6:56 | 4:52 | ||||||
| NOV 12 | 7:15 | 4:45 | 7:10 | 4:36 | 7:02 | 4:29 | 6:51 | 4:16 | 7:14 | 4:33 | 7:06 | 4:43 | ||||||
| NOV 19 | 7:25 | 4:38 | 7:21 | 4:28 | 7:12 | 4:21 | 7:01 | 4:09 | 7:25 | 4:25 | 7:16 | 4:36 | ||||||
| NOV 26 | 7:35 | 4:32 | 7:30 | 4:23 | 7:22 | 4:15 | 7:11 | 4:03 | 7:35 | 4:19 | 7:25 | 4:31 | ||||||
| DEC 3 | 7:44 | 4:29 | 7:39 | 4:19 | 7:30 | 4:12 | 7:20 | 3:59 | 7:44 | 4:15 | 7:33 | 4:28 | ||||||
| DEC 10 | 7:51 | 4:28 | 7:47 | 4:18 | 7:38 | 4:10 | 7:27 | 3:58 | 7:52 | 4:14 | 7:40 | 4:27 | ||||||
| DEC 17 | 7:57 | 4:29 | 7:52 | 4:19 | 7:44 | 4:11 | 7:33 | 3:59 | 7:58 | 4:14 | 7:46 | 4:28 | ||||||
| DEC 24 | 8:00 | 4:32 | 7:56 | 4:22 | 7:47 | 4:15 | 7:37 | 4:02 | 8:02 | 4:18 | 7:49 | 4:31 | ||||||
| DEC 31 | 8:02 | 4:38 | 7:58 | 4:27 | 7:49 | 4:20 | 7:38 | 4:08 | 8:03 | 4:23 | 7:51 | 4:36 | ||||||
1Sunrise and sunset times are dependent on east-west differences (just like time zones), directions somewhat close to north-south lines (due to the angle of the sun), elevation, and which year in the leap year cycle we’re in. We can’t account for all such factors with this simple list, so we’re seeking general estimates instead. After extrapolating, you should get times within a few minutes of accurate. You might notice that the sun’s risings and settings take about 24-30 minutes to move across the state east (Spokane) to west (Westport) and, depending on the season, there is a 0 to 15 minute difference between north (Bellingham) and south (Vancouver) locations.
2The transition dates between standard and daylight time vary year to year, but always take place on the Sunday mornings between Mar 8-14 and Nov 1-7.
PHOTO of Mt Rainier Sunrise © Steve Campion, 2014
SOURCE: Sunrise and sunset times on this list are derived from 2014 ephemerides calculated by the US Naval Observatory. The times are reasonably accurate for any year, although they may vary by a minute or two within any leap year cycle.
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