Wilkes-Barre, PA: shortest day and earliest sunset
The shortest day in Wilkes-Barre
On Dec 21 the sun rises at 7:26 am and sets at 4:38 pm: 9h 12m of daylight, a moderate winter. The longest day of summer has 15h 09m, so the swing is 5h 58m.
When it gets better in Wilkes-Barre
- Earliest sunset: 4:34 pm on Dec 8, before the shortest day (here is why).
- Latest sunrise (standard time): 7:29 am on Jan 3.
- Back above 10 hours of daylight: Jan 30.
- By Feb 21 the days grow by 2.6 minutes a day.
Waking and coming home in the dark
With a 7:00 am alarm, the sun is not yet up on 90 weekdays a year. Heading home at 5:30 pm, it has already set on 72. 57 weekdays start and end in the dark. The alarm and lamp guide shows how that compares across the country.
At 41.2°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 Wilkes-Barre
- A sunrise alarm clock is worth considering if you get up at 7:00 am or earlier: 41 weekday mornings here are still properly dark at that hour, mostly between Oct 1 and Mar 24.
- There is some case for a light therapy lamp: 57 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 Feb 9: worth checking your bike lights and porch light before Nov 2.
Daylight in Wilkes-Barre, month by month
Sunrise, sunset and day length on the 21st of each month, local clock time. December is the darkest, at 9h 12m.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 5:49 am | 8:31 pm | 14h 42m |
| August 2026 | 6:19 am | 7:54 pm | 13h 35m |
| September 2026 | 6:50 am | 7:02 pm | 12h 12m |
| October 2026 | 7:22 am | 6:14 pm | 10h 52m |
| November 2026 | 6:59 am | 4:40 pm | 9h 41m |
| December 2026 | 7:26 am | 4:38 pm | 9h 12m |
| January 2027 | 7:24 am | 5:06 pm | 9h 42m |
| February 2027 | 6:50 am | 5:45 pm | 10h 55m |
| March 2027 | 7:05 am | 7:17 pm | 12h 11m |
| April 2027 | 6:15 am | 7:50 pm | 13h 35m |
| May 2027 | 5:40 am | 8:21 pm | 14h 41m |
| June 2027 | 5:31 am | 8:40 pm | 15h 09m |
Wilkes-Barre against the places around it
On the shortest day, compared with Wilkes-Barre (9h 12m, sunset 4:38 pm):
- Kingston, PA, 1 mi away: 9h 12m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:38 pm (0 min).
- Nanticoke, PA, 7 mi away: 9h 12m of daylight (0 min), sunset 4:38 pm (0 min).
- Scranton, PA, 15 mi away: 9h 11m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:36 pm (-2 min).
- Dunmore, PA, 18 mi away: 9h 11m of daylight (-1 min), sunset 4:36 pm (-2 min).
- Hazleton, PA, 21 mi away: 9h 14m of daylight (+2 min), sunset 4:39 pm (+1 min).