As autumn draws near, a sense of change is palpable in the Chicago area this week. However, it’s not just the dropping temperatures that signal the transition; the region is also reaching several daylight-related milestones.
The fall equinox will occur around 7:44 a.m. on Sunday, September 22. Yet, Chicago will experience various daylight changes before and after this date.
While many might assume that the city will enjoy approximately 12 hours of daylight on the equinox, this isn’t entirely accurate. In fact, the first day with less than 12 hours of sunlight will be three days later, on September 25, according to TimeandDate.
For those who cherish daylight, it will be nearly six months until Chicago returns to 12 hours of sunlight, projected for March 17, 2025.
Another significant event in the lead-up to fall will happen on Sunday, September 15, when the sun sets before 7 p.m. for the first time since March 16, with a sunset at 6:58 p.m.
Throughout the remainder of the month, Chicago will lose nearly three minutes of daylight each day, with sunsets occurring just after 6:30 p.m. by the end of September.
The next notable milestone will take place on October 21, when the sun will set before 6 p.m., marking a time when the city will have fewer than 11 hours of daylight daily.
These reductions in daylight will continue steadily until December, when Chicago will see just over nine hours of sunlight. The earliest sunset of the year will occur in early December, with the sun setting around 4:19 p.m.
Following the winter solstice, the area will gradually begin to gain more daylight, but only by a few seconds each day until the end of 2024.