Santa Rosa, CA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Santa Rosa
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:25 am and sets at 4:54 pm: 9h 29m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 14h 51m, so the swing is 5h 22m.
When it gets better in Santa Rosa
- Earliest sunset: 4:50 pm on Dec 6, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:28 am on Jan 5.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 24.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.4 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 100 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 65. 50 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 38.4°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 Rosa
- A sunrise alarm clock is worth considering if you get up at 7:00 am or earlier: 47 weekday mornings here are still properly dark at that hour, mostly between Sep 24 and Mar 29.
- There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 50 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 Rosa, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 29m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 6:04 am | 8:30 pm | 14h 26m |
| August 2026 | 6:31 am | 7:56 pm | 13h 26m |
| September 2026 | 6:58 am | 7:09 pm | 12h 11m |
| October 2026 | 7:26 am | 6:24 pm | 10h 58m |
| November 2026 | 6:59 am | 4:54 pm | 9h 55m |
| December 2026 | 7:25 am | 4:54 pm | 9h 29m |
| January 2027 | 7:24 am | 5:21 pm | 9h 57m |
| February 2027 | 6:54 am | 5:55 pm | 11h 02m |
| March 2027 | 7:13 am | 7:24 pm | 12h 11m |
| April 2027 | 6:27 am | 7:53 pm | 13h 26m |
| May 2027 | 5:55 am | 8:21 pm | 14h 26m |
| June 2027 | 5:47 am | 8:38 pm | 14h 51m |
Santa Rosa against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Santa Rosa (9h 29m, sunset 4:54 pm):
- Rohnert Park, CA, 7 mi away: 9h 30m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Windsor, CA, 9 mi away: 9h 28m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Petaluma, CA, 15 mi away: 9h 30m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Healdsburg, CA, 15 mi away: 9h 28m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:54 pm (0 min).
- Sonoma, CA, 17 mi away: 9h 30m of daylight (+1 min), sunset 4:53 pm (-1 min).