5 p.m. Sunsets Return as Daylight Slowly Increases

A seasonal milestone arrives today as 5 p.m. sunsets return, signaling the gradual lengthening of days across the region.

Throughout the month of January, daylight increases by about 40 minutes in total. The last time sunsets occurred as late as 5 p.m. was in early November, before the shortest days of the year set in.

Daylight will continue to increase steadily over the coming months. Daylight saving time, when clocks “spring forward” and evenings become noticeably brighter, will not begin until the second weekend in March.