When Does the Sun Set in Baltimore Each Month?

In Baltimore, sunset occurs between 4:47 p.m. in early December and 8:32 p.m. in mid-June. The exact time shifts about three minutes per day during spring and autumn, and more slowly in summer and winter. Using the National Weather Service Baltimore office's data or a local sunrise-sunset calculator ensures you get the precise time for your specific date.

How Sunset Times Change Throughout the Year

Baltimore's latitude at 39.3 degrees north creates dramatic seasonal variation. On December 21 (winter solstice), the sun sets around 4:47 p.m. This is the earliest sunset of the year and occurs several days before the shortest day. By January 10, sunset has shifted to about 5:10 p.m., marking the start of the gradual lengthening of daylight hours.

Spring acceleration happens quickly. Between mid-February and mid-April, sunset time jumps roughly one minute every two days. By April 1, you're looking at roughly 7:15 p.m.; by May 1, approximately 7:55 p.m. On June 21 (summer solstice), sunset reaches its latest point around 8:32 p.m. This extreme occurs because Baltimore is far enough north that the sun's path across the sky peaks in duration and elevation at summer solstice.

Summer decline is gradual. From late June through August, sunset creeps earlier by only 30 to 45 seconds per day. August 1 sees sunset near 8:15 p.m.; by September 1, it's back to 7:40 p.m. Autumn acceleration mirrors spring. Between late August and late October, the rate of change doubles, with sunset moving 1.5 to 2 minutes earlier every few days. By October 31, sunset occurs around 5:15 p.m.

The final push into winter is quick. November sees sunset drop from about 5:15 p.m. to 4:50 p.m., a full 25 minutes in 30 days. December 21 returns the cycle to its earliest point.

Why Sunset Time Differs from Darkness

Sunset is technically when the sun's upper edge touches the horizon. Civil twilight, which many people call "getting dark," extends 20 to 40 minutes after sunset, depending on the season and weather. On a clear June evening in Baltimore, the sky remains visibly bright until 9:10 or 9:15 p.m., even though the sun set at 8:32 p.m.

In December, civil twilight lasts only about 25 minutes after sunset, so darkness falls faster. By 5:15 p.m. on December 21, the sky is genuinely dark. In June, you have usable outdoor light until nearly 9:15 p.m.

Cloud cover collapses twilight dramatically. On overcast days, effective darkness arrives 10 to 15 minutes earlier than the twilight tables suggest. Clear winter days preserve twilight's full duration, while June haze can shorten the period slightly.

Practical Uses for Sunset Times in Baltimore

Residents planning outdoor activity windows should use sunset as a planning threshold, then add the twilight buffer. Evening dog walks after work in November need to start by 4:30 p.m. if you want daylight; the same walk in July can start at 8:00 p.m. and still have 15 minutes of visible light.

Photography has two windows. Golden hour (the last 60 minutes before sunset) offers warm, directional light and is nearly the same duration year-round, though the actual clock time shifts dramatically. Blue hour (the 20 to 40 minutes after sunset, during civil twilight) is ideal for cityscapes and longer exposures, and is shorter in winter, longer in summer.

Sports fields and outdoor courts in Baltimore's parks use sunset timing for lighting schedules. Most municipal courts switch on lights between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. in winter and 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. in summer, staggered to align with local sunset ranges.

Finding Exact Times for Specific Dates

The National Weather Service Baltimore office provides precise sunrise and sunset tables. The agency's website includes a location-specific tool; enter your date and you receive the exact minute for Baltimore's downtown area. Times shift by only 2 to 3 minutes across the city's geography, so downtown figures work for the whole metro area.

TimeandDate.com and similar sites pull from astronomical data and allow you to enter your specific address, which can refine the time by a minute or two if you're in an unusual location or observing a distant horizon. Apps like Sun Surveyor overlay sunset paths on maps, useful if you're planning a photo shoot from a specific rooftop or waterfront spot.

Related Questions

Does Baltimore observe daylight saving time, and does it affect sunset times? Yes. Maryland observes daylight saving time, shifting clocks forward one hour in March and back one hour in November. Clock time changes, but the actual moment the sun touches the horizon does not, so the underlying sunset pattern remains the same; only the clock reading changes.

Why is sunset earlier in Baltimore than in cities farther west? Baltimore is in the Eastern Time Zone. Cities at the zone's western edge (like Pittsburgh) experience sunset 30 to 45 minutes later on the clock, even though the sun physically sets at roughly the same moment. This is a time zone artifact, not an actual difference in daylight.