Merced, CA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Merced
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:12 am and sets at 4:48 pm: 9h 35m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 44m, so the swing is 5h 09m.
When it gets better in Merced
- Earliest sunset: 4:44 pm on Dec 5, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:16 am on Jan 5.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 20.
- 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 73 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 69. 45 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 37.3°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 Merced
- You probably do not need a sunrise alarm clock for a 7:00 am start here: only 5 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: 45 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 4: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Merced, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 35m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 5:58 am | 8:18 pm | 14h 21m |
| August 2026 | 6:23 am | 7:46 pm | 13h 22m |
| September 2026 | 6:49 am | 7:00 pm | 12h 11m |
| October 2026 | 7:16 am | 6:17 pm | 11h 01m |
| November 2026 | 6:48 am | 4:48 pm | 10h 00m |
| December 2026 | 7:12 am | 4:48 pm | 9h 35m |
| January 2027 | 7:12 am | 5:14 pm | 10h 02m |
| February 2027 | 6:44 am | 5:48 pm | 11h 04m |
| March 2027 | 7:04 am | 7:15 pm | 12h 11m |
| April 2027 | 6:19 am | 7:42 pm | 13h 23m |
| May 2027 | 5:49 am | 8:09 pm | 14h 20m |
| June 2027 | 5:42 am | 8:26 pm | 14h 44m |
Merced against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Merced (9h 35m, sunset 4:48 pm):
- Atwater, CA, 8 mi away: 9h 35m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:48 pm (0 min).
- Livingston, CA, 15 mi away: 9h 35m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:49 pm (+1 min).
- Chowchilla, CA, 18 mi away: 9h 37m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:48 pm (0 min).
- Turlock, CA, 25 mi away: 9h 34m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:49 pm (+1 min).
- Los Banos, CA, 27 mi away: 9h 37m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:50 pm (+2 min).