Butte-Silver Bow, MT: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Butte-Silver Bow
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 8:09 am and sets at 4:48 pm: 8h 39m of daylight, a dark winter. The longest day of summer has 15h 44m, so the swing is 7h 05m.
When it gets better in Butte-Silver Bow
- Earliest sunset: 4:46 pm on Dec 9, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 8:12 am on Jan 1.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Feb 7.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 3.1 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 146 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 63. 63 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 45.9°N this is as far north as, or farther than, Nashua NH (43°N), where a 1990 survey found 9.7% of adults reported winter depression.
What to do about it in Butte-Silver Bow
- A sunrise alarm clock is worth getting here: on 114 weekdays the sun is still at least 20 minutes from rising at 7:00 am. Dark mornings run from Sep 8 to Apr 6, so set it up before Sep 8.
- On daylight grounds there is a strong case for a light therapy lamp: 63 weekdays start and end in the dark. Use it in the morning, and if winter low mood is the reason, ask a doctor before you rely on one.
- If you head home at 5:30 pm, the sun has already set from Nov 2 to Jan 27: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Butte-Silver Bow, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 8h 39m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6:01 am | 9:12 pm | 15h 11m |
| August 2026 | 6:38 am | 8:28 pm | 13h 50m |
| September 2026 | 7:17 am | 7:30 pm | 12h 13m |
| October 2026 | 7:56 am | 6:34 pm | 10h 38m |
| November 2026 | 7:39 am | 4:53 pm | 9h 14m |
| December 2026 | 8:09 am | 4:48 pm | 8h 39m |
| January 2027 | 8:04 am | 5:20 pm | 9h 16m |
| February 2027 | 7:23 am | 6:06 pm | 10h 42m |
| March 2027 | 7:32 am | 7:44 pm | 12h 13m |
| April 2027 | 6:34 am | 8:25 pm | 13h 51m |
| May 2027 | 5:52 am | 9:03 pm | 15h 10m |
| June 2027 | 5:40 am | 9:25 pm | 15h 44m |
Butte-Silver Bow against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Butte-Silver Bow (8h 39m, sunset 4:48 pm):
- Helena, MT, 57 mi away: 8h 34m of daylight (-5 min), sunset 4:43 pm (-5 min).
- Belgrade, MT, 72 mi away: 8h 40m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:43 pm (-5 min).
- Bozeman, MT, 79 mi away: 8h 41m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:43 pm (-5 min).
- Missoula, MT, 94 mi away: 8h 32m of daylight (-7 min), sunset 4:50 pm (+2 min).
- Great Falls, MT, 128 mi away: 8h 26m of daylight (-13 min), sunset 4:37 pm (-11 min).