The sun, month by month
Sunrise and sunset in Seattle in December
On December 1 in Seattle the sun rises at 07:39 and sets at 16:19; on day 31 it rises at 07:58 and sets at 16:27. Over the month the day gets 11 minutes shorter.
Where does the sun rise and set in Seattle in December?
Mid-December in Seattle: the sun rises in the southeast — a bearing of 125°, measured from true north — and sets in the southwest, at 235°. That is 35° south of due east at sunrise, and the same 35° south of due west at sunset. From the 1st to the last day of the month both points shift 2° south.
Approximate bearings: they can be a couple of degrees out. They are measured from true north, not the north a phone compass points to.
Day by day
All times are local to Seattle. Dawn and dusk mark civil twilight.
| Day | Dawn | Sunrise | Sunset | Dusk | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07:04 | 07:39 | 16:19 | 16:55 | 8 h 41 min |
| 2 | 07:05 | 07:40 | 16:19 | 16:54 | 8 h 39 min |
| 3 | 07:06 | 07:41 | 16:19 | 16:54 | 8 h 38 min |
| 4 | 07:07 | 07:42 | 16:19 | 16:54 | 8 h 36 min |
| 5 | 07:08 | 07:43 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 35 min |
| 6 | 07:09 | 07:44 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 34 min |
| 7 | 07:10 | 07:45 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 33 min |
| 8 | 07:10 | 07:46 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 32 min |
| 9 | 07:11 | 07:47 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 31 min |
| 10 | 07:12 | 07:48 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 30 min |
| 11 | 07:13 | 07:49 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 29 min |
| 12 | 07:14 | 07:50 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 28 min |
| 13 | 07:14 | 07:50 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 28 min |
| 14 | 07:15 | 07:51 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 27 min |
| 15 | 07:16 | 07:52 | 16:18 | 16:54 | 8 h 27 min |
| 16 | 07:16 | 07:53 | 16:19 | 16:55 | 8 h 26 min |
| 17 | 07:17 | 07:53 | 16:19 | 16:55 | 8 h 26 min |
| 18 | 07:18 | 07:54 | 16:19 | 16:55 | 8 h 26 min |
| 19 | 07:18 | 07:54 | 16:20 | 16:56 | 8 h 25 min |
| 20 | 07:19 | 07:55 | 16:20 | 16:56 | 8 h 25 min |
| 21 | 07:19 | 07:55 | 16:21 | 16:57 | 8 h 25 min |
| 22 | 07:20 | 07:56 | 16:21 | 16:57 | 8 h 25 min |
| 23 | 07:20 | 07:56 | 16:22 | 16:58 | 8 h 25 min |
| 24 | 07:20 | 07:56 | 16:22 | 16:58 | 8 h 26 min |
| 25 | 07:21 | 07:57 | 16:23 | 16:59 | 8 h 26 min |
| 26 | 07:21 | 07:57 | 16:23 | 17:00 | 8 h 26 min |
| 27 | 07:21 | 07:57 | 16:24 | 17:00 | 8 h 27 min |
| 28 | 07:22 | 07:58 | 16:25 | 17:01 | 8 h 27 min |
| 29 | 07:22 | 07:58 | 16:26 | 17:02 | 8 h 28 min |
| 30 | 07:22 | 07:58 | 16:26 | 17:02 | 8 h 29 min |
| 31 | 07:22 | 07:58 | 16:27 | 17:03 | 8 h 29 min |
Approximate astronomical values: they can shift a minute or two from year to year.
What about vitamin D in December?
In December the sun doesn't climb high enough in Seattle for vitamin D synthesis: the season to mind your diet or consider supplementation.
See the Seattle vitamin D guideCommon questions about the sun in Seattle in December
- Where does the sun set in Seattle in December?
- Mid-December in Seattle: the sun sets in the southwest, a bearing of 235° measured from true north, which is 35° south of due west. It rises in the southeast, at 125°. Over the month both points shift 2° south.
- How much daylight does Seattle lose in December?
- Over December the day gets 11 minutes shorter in Seattle: on December 1 the sun rises at 07:39 and sets at 16:19, and on day 31 it rises at 07:58 and sets at 16:27.
- How many hours of daylight does Seattle get in December?
- In mid-December the day lasts 8 h 27 min in Seattle, from sunrise at 07:52 to sunset at 16:18. The table has the day length for each of the 31 days of the month.
- What time does it start to get light in Seattle in December?
- In mid-December the sky starts to get light at 07:16 in Seattle, when the sun is 6° below the horizon, and the sun itself does not rise until 07:52. The “Dawn” column of the table gives that time for every day of the month.
- What time does it get dark in Seattle in December?
- It's not the same time as sunset. In mid-December in Seattle the sun sets at 16:18, but there is still light: civil twilight does not end until 16:54, when the sun reaches 6° below the horizon and usable outdoor light runs out. The “Dusk” column of the table gives that time day by day.
- What time of day can you make vitamin D in Seattle in December?
- At no time of day. Not even at midday on December 15 does the UV index reach 3 in Seattle, and below that minimum the skin makes no vitamin D, however long you stay out. In December it is the season to mind your diet or consider supplementation.