Key West, FL: shortest day and earliest sunset

The shortest day in Key West

On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:07 am and sets at 5:44 pm: 10h 37m of daylight, a bright winter. The longest day of summer has 13h 40m, so the swing is 3h 03m.

When it gets better in Key West

• Earliest sunset: 5:38 pm on Nov 28, before the shortest day (here is why).
• Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:13 am on Jan 14.
• Daylight never drops below 10 hours here.
• By Feb 21 the days grow by 1.4 minutes a day.

Waking and coming home in the dark

With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 135 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 24.6°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 Key West

• A sunrise alarm clock is worth considering if you get up at 7:00 am or earlier: 33 weekday mornings here are still properly dark at that hour, mostly between Aug 12 and Apr 21.
• Daylight alone gives little reason for a light therapy lamp here. Getting outside in the 7:07 am to 5:44 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 Key West, month by month

Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 10h 37m.

Key West against the places around it

On the shortest day, compared with Key West (10h 37m, sunset 5:44 pm):

• Marathon, FL, 49 mi away: 10h 36m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 5:40 pm (-4 min).
• Marco Island, FL, 95 mi away: 10h 31m of daylight (-6 min), sunset 5:41 pm (-3 min).
• Florida City, FL, 102 mi away: 10h 33m of daylight (-4 min), sunset 5:37 pm (-7 min).
• Homestead, FL, 104 mi away: 10h 33m of daylight (-4 min), sunset 5:37 pm (-7 min).
• Naples, FL, 110 mi away: 10h 30m of daylight (-7 min), sunset 5:40 pm (-4 min).