Iowa City, IA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Iowa City
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:30 am and sets at 4:39 pm: 9h 09m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 15h 12m, so the swing is 6h 03m.
When it gets better in Iowa City
- Earliest sunset: 4:36 pm on Dec 8, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:33 am on Jan 3.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 31.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.7 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 97 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 70. 57 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 41.7°N this sits between Sarasota FL (27°N, 1.4%) and Nashua NH (43°N, 9.7%) in a 1990 survey of winter depression by latitude.
What to do about it in Iowa City
- A sunrise alarm clock is worth considering if you get up at 7:00 am or earlier: 49 weekday mornings here are still properly dark at that hour, mostly between Sep 29 and Mar 25.
- There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 57 weekdays start and end in the dark. If you notice winter low mood, ask a doctor whether one fits you.
- If you head home at 5:30 pm, the sun has already set from Nov 2 to Feb 5: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Iowa City, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 09m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 5:50 am | 8:34 pm | 14h 44m |
| August 2026 | 6:21 am | 7:57 pm | 13h 36m |
| September 2026 | 6:53 am | 7:05 pm | 12h 12m |
| October 2026 | 7:25 am | 6:16 pm | 10h 50m |
| November 2026 | 7:02 am | 4:41 pm | 9h 39m |
| December 2026 | 7:30 am | 4:39 pm | 9h 09m |
| January 2027 | 7:27 am | 5:08 pm | 9h 40m |
| February 2027 | 6:53 am | 5:47 pm | 10h 54m |
| March 2027 | 7:08 am | 7:19 pm | 12h 11m |
| April 2027 | 6:17 am | 7:53 pm | 13h 36m |
| May 2027 | 5:41 am | 8:25 pm | 14h 43m |
| June 2027 | 5:32 am | 8:44 pm | 15h 12m |
Iowa City against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Iowa City (9h 09m, sunset 4:39 pm):
- Coralville, IA, 5 mi away: 9h 09m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:39 pm (0 min).
- North Liberty, IA, 7 mi away: 9h 09m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:39 pm (0 min).
- Cedar Rapids, IA, 23 mi away: 9h 07m of daylight (-2 min), sunset 4:39 pm (0 min).
- Marion, IA, 27 mi away: 9h 07m of daylight (-2 min), sunset 4:38 pm (-1 min).
- Muscatine, IA, 29 mi away: 9h 11m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:38 pm (-1 min).