Alton, TX: shortest day and earliest sunset

The shortest day in Alton

On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:17 am and sets at 5:46 pm: 10h 30m of daylight, a bright winter. The longest day of summer has 13h 47m, so the swing is 3h 18m.

When it gets better in Alton

• Earliest sunset: 5:41 pm on Nov 29, before the shortest day (here is why).
• Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:23 am on Jan 12.
• Daylight never drops below 10 hours here.
• By Feb 21 the days grow by 1.5 minutes a day.

Waking and coming home in the dark

With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 160 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 0. 0 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.

At 26.3°N this is as far south as, or farther than, Sarasota FL (27°N), where the same 1990 survey found 1.4%.

What to do about it in Alton

• A sunrise alarm clock is worth getting here: on 68 weekdays the sun is still at least 20 minutes from rising at 7:00 am. Dark mornings run from Aug 4 to Apr 23, so set it up before Aug 4.
• Daylight alone gives little reason for a light therapy lamp here. Getting outside in the 7:17 am to 5:46 pm window on the shortest day does more than most people expect.
• Heading home at 5:30 pm, you get at least some daylight all year here.

Daylight in Alton, month by month

Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 10h 30m.

Alton against the places around it

On the shortest day, compared with Alton (10h 30m, sunset 5:46 pm):

• Palmview, TX, 6 mi away: 10h 30m of daylight (0 min), sunset 5:47 pm (+1 min).
• Mission, TX, 6 mi away: 10h 30m of daylight (0 min), sunset 5:46 pm (0 min).
• McAllen, TX, 6 mi away: 10h 30m of daylight (0 min), sunset 5:46 pm (0 min).
• Edinburg, TX, 10 mi away: 10h 29m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 5:46 pm (0 min).
• Pharr, TX, 11 mi away: 10h 30m of daylight (0 min), sunset 5:46 pm (0 min).