Rio Rancho, NM: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Rio Rancho
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:12 am and sets at 4:58 pm: 9h 47m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 32m, so the swing is 4h 46m.
When it gets better in Rio Rancho
- Earliest sunset: 4:54 pm on Dec 4, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:16 am on Jan 6.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 13.
- 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 80 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 63. 38 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 35.3°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 Rio Rancho
- You probably do not need a sunrise alarm clock for a 7:00 am start here: only 6 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: 38 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 27: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Rio Rancho, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 47m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6:08 am | 8:18 pm | 14h 11m |
| August 2026 | 6:31 am | 7:48 pm | 13h 17m |
| September 2026 | 6:54 am | 7:05 pm | 12h 11m |
| October 2026 | 7:18 am | 6:24 pm | 11h 06m |
| November 2026 | 6:48 am | 4:57 pm | 10h 09m |
| December 2026 | 7:12 am | 4:58 pm | 9h 47m |
| January 2027 | 7:13 am | 5:24 pm | 10h 11m |
| February 2027 | 6:46 am | 5:55 pm | 11h 08m |
| March 2027 | 7:09 am | 7:19 pm | 12h 10m |
| April 2027 | 6:27 am | 7:44 pm | 13h 17m |
| May 2027 | 5:59 am | 8:09 pm | 14h 10m |
| June 2027 | 5:52 am | 8:25 pm | 14h 32m |
Rio Rancho against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Rio Rancho (9h 47m, sunset 4:58 pm):
- Albuquerque, NM, 13 mi away: 9h 48m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:59 pm (+1 min).
- Los Lunas, NM, 34 mi away: 9h 49m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 5:00 pm (+2 min).
- Santa Fe, NM, 48 mi away: 9h 45m of daylight (-2 min), sunset 4:54 pm (-4 min).
- Española, NM, 61 mi away: 9h 43m of daylight (-4 min), sunset 4:54 pm (-4 min).
- Las Vegas, NM, 86 mi away: 9h 45m of daylight (-2 min), sunset 4:52 pm (-6 min).