Prescott, AZ: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Prescott
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:33 am and sets at 5:23 pm: 9h 50m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 29m, so the swing is 4h 38m.
When it gets better in Prescott
- Earliest sunset: 5:19 pm on Dec 4, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:37 am on Jan 7.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 10.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.1 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 77 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 39. 36 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 34.6°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 Prescott
- A sunrise alarm clock is worth considering if you get up at 7:00 am or earlier: 50 weekday mornings here are still properly dark at that hour, mostly between Nov 12 and Feb 26.
- There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 36 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 9 to Dec 31: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 9.
Daylight in Prescott, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 50m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 5:32 am | 7:40 pm | 14h 08m |
| August 2026 | 5:55 am | 7:10 pm | 13h 15m |
| September 2026 | 6:17 am | 6:28 pm | 12h 10m |
| October 2026 | 6:41 am | 5:48 pm | 11h 07m |
| November 2026 | 7:09 am | 5:22 pm | 10h 12m |
| December 2026 | 7:33 am | 5:23 pm | 9h 50m |
| January 2027 | 7:34 am | 5:48 pm | 10h 14m |
| February 2027 | 7:09 am | 6:19 pm | 11h 10m |
| March 2027 | 6:32 am | 6:42 pm | 12h 10m |
| April 2027 | 5:51 am | 7:07 pm | 13h 16m |
| May 2027 | 5:23 am | 7:30 pm | 14h 07m |
| June 2027 | 5:17 am | 7:46 pm | 14h 29m |
Prescott against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Prescott (9h 50m, sunset 5:23 pm):
- Prescott Valley, AZ, 7 mi away: 9h 50m of daylight (0 min), sunset 5:23 pm (0 min).
- Chino Valley, AZ, 10 mi away: 9h 49m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 5:23 pm (0 min).
- Cottonwood, AZ, 28 mi away: 9h 49m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 5:21 pm (-2 min).
- Camp Verde, AZ, 34 mi away: 9h 50m of daylight (0 min), sunset 5:21 pm (-2 min).
- Peoria, AZ, 56 mi away: 9h 54m of daylight (+4 min), sunset 5:25 pm (+2 min).