Natchitoches, LA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Natchitoches
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:08 am and sets at 5:13 pm: 10h 05m of daylight, a bright winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 13m, so the swing is 4h 09m.
When it gets better in Natchitoches
- Earliest sunset: 5:08 pm on Dec 3, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:13 am on Jan 8.
- Daylight never drops below 10 hours here.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 1.8 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 89 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 53. 27 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 31.7°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 Natchitoches
- You probably do not need a sunrise alarm clock for a 7:00 am start here: only 11 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: 27 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 Jan 13: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Natchitoches, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 10h 05m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6:21 am | 8:16 pm | 13h 55m |
| August 2026 | 6:41 am | 7:49 pm | 13h 08m |
| September 2026 | 7:00 am | 7:10 pm | 12h 10m |
| October 2026 | 7:20 am | 6:33 pm | 11h 13m |
| November 2026 | 6:46 am | 5:10 pm | 10h 24m |
| December 2026 | 7:08 am | 5:13 pm | 10h 05m |
| January 2027 | 7:11 am | 5:37 pm | 10h 26m |
| February 2027 | 6:48 am | 6:04 pm | 11h 16m |
| March 2027 | 7:15 am | 7:25 pm | 12h 09m |
| April 2027 | 6:37 am | 7:45 pm | 13h 08m |
| May 2027 | 6:12 am | 8:06 pm | 13h 54m |
| June 2027 | 6:08 am | 8:21 pm | 14h 13m |
Natchitoches against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Natchitoches (10h 05m, sunset 5:13 pm):
- Alexandria, LA, 48 mi away: 10h 07m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 5:11 pm (-2 min).
- Pineville, LA, 49 mi away: 10h 07m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 5:11 pm (-2 min).
- Ruston, LA, 62 mi away: 10h 01m of daylight (-4 min), sunset 5:09 pm (-4 min).
- Minden, LA, 62 mi away: 10h 00m of daylight (-5 min), sunset 5:11 pm (-2 min).
- Bossier City, LA, 63 mi away: 10h 01m of daylight (-4 min), sunset 5:13 pm (0 min).