Santa Maria, CA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Santa Maria
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:06 am and sets at 4:54 pm: 9h 48m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 30m, so the swing is 4h 42m.
When it gets better in Santa Maria
- Earliest sunset: 4:50 pm on Dec 4, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:10 am on Jan 6.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 12.
- 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 62 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 65. 35 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 34.9°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 Santa Maria
- You probably do not need a sunrise alarm clock for a 7:00 am start here: only 2 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: 35 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 29: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Santa Maria, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 48m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6:04 am | 8:13 pm | 14h 09m |
| August 2026 | 6:27 am | 7:43 pm | 13h 16m |
| September 2026 | 6:49 am | 7:00 pm | 12h 11m |
| October 2026 | 7:13 am | 6:19 pm | 11h 06m |
| November 2026 | 6:42 am | 4:53 pm | 10h 11m |
| December 2026 | 7:06 am | 4:54 pm | 9h 48m |
| January 2027 | 7:07 am | 5:19 pm | 10h 12m |
| February 2027 | 6:41 am | 5:50 pm | 11h 09m |
| March 2027 | 7:04 am | 7:14 pm | 12h 10m |
| April 2027 | 6:22 am | 7:39 pm | 13h 17m |
| May 2027 | 5:54 am | 8:03 pm | 14h 09m |
| June 2027 | 5:48 am | 8:19 pm | 14h 30m |
Santa Maria against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Santa Maria (9h 48m, sunset 4:54 pm):
- Arroyo Grande, CA, 15 mi away: 9h 47m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Grover Beach, CA, 16 mi away: 9h 47m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Lompoc, CA, 19 mi away: 9h 50m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:55 pm (+1 min).
- San Luis Obispo, CA, 26 mi away: 9h 47m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Morro Bay, CA, 38 mi away: 9h 46m of daylight (-2 min), sunset 4:55 pm (+1 min).