Madera, CA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Madera
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:10 am and sets at 4:47 pm: 9h 37m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 42m, so the swing is 5h 05m.
When it gets better in Madera
- Earliest sunset: 4:43 pm on Dec 5, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:14 am on Jan 5.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 19.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.3 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 69 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 70. 44 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 37.0°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 Madera
- You probably do not need a sunrise alarm clock for a 7:00 am start here: only 3 weekday mornings are still properly dark. If you get up earlier, check the hour against the sunrise times in the table below.
- There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 44 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 Madera, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 37m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 5:57 am | 8:16 pm | 14h 19m |
| August 2026 | 6:22 am | 7:44 pm | 13h 21m |
| September 2026 | 6:48 am | 6:58 pm | 12h 11m |
| October 2026 | 7:14 am | 6:15 pm | 11h 02m |
| November 2026 | 6:45 am | 4:47 pm | 10h 02m |
| December 2026 | 7:10 am | 4:47 pm | 9h 37m |
| January 2027 | 7:10 am | 5:14 pm | 10h 03m |
| February 2027 | 6:42 am | 5:47 pm | 11h 05m |
| March 2027 | 7:02 am | 7:13 pm | 12h 11m |
| April 2027 | 6:18 am | 7:40 pm | 13h 22m |
| May 2027 | 5:48 am | 8:06 pm | 14h 18m |
| June 2027 | 5:41 am | 8:23 pm | 14h 42m |
Madera against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Madera (9h 37m, sunset 4:47 pm):
- Chowchilla, CA, 13 mi away: 9h 37m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:48 pm (+1 min).
- Kerman, CA, 17 mi away: 9h 39m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:48 pm (+1 min).
- Fresno, CA, 21 mi away: 9h 38m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:47 pm (0 min).
- Mendota, CA, 22 mi away: 9h 39m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:49 pm (+2 min).
- Clovis, CA, 24 mi away: 9h 38m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:46 pm (-1 min).