Sunrise time in Washington, DC
In Washington, DC the sun rises as early as 5:43 AM (June 14) and as late as 7:35 AM (October 31). Here is today’s sunrise with first light and the morning golden hour, then the sunrise time for every month of 2026.
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Next 7 days in Washington, DC
Sunrise in Washington, DC through the year
The longest day of 2026 is June 21, with 14 h 54 min between sunrise and sunset; the shortest is December 22, with 9 h 26 min. The latest sunrise around midwinter (January 5, 7:28 AM) comes 14 days after the shortest day (December 22), which is why the darkest mornings arrive after the solstice. On the clock, the very latest sunrise of the year is on October 31, just before the clocks go back. In 2026 clocks go forward on March 8 and back on November 1; sunrise jumps an hour later when clocks go forward and an hour earlier when they go back.
| Date | First light | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 15 | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:07 AM | 9 h 44 min |
| Feb 15 | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 10 h 45 min |
| Mar 15 | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 11 h 55 min |
| Apr 15 | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 13 h 13 min |
| May 15 | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 14 h 18 min |
| Jun 15 | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 14 h 53 min |
| Jul 15 | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:35 AM | 14 h 38 min |
| Aug 15 | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 13 h 42 min |
| Sep 15 | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 12 h 28 min |
| Oct 15 | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 11 h 13 min |
| Nov 15 | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 10 h 4 min |
| Dec 15 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 9 h 27 min |
First light and golden hour in Washington, DC
In Washington, DC first light comes about 27 minutes before sunrise around the equinoxes, 32 minutes in late June and 30 minutes in late December; that is the morning blue hour. After sunrise the golden light lasts about 35, 40 and 42 minutes at those times of year.
Where to watch the sunrise in Washington, DC
The Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial are the classic sunrise spot, especially in cherry-blossom season, and the Capitol is lit from the east in the first light.
How these times are calculated
Times are computed for Washington, DC (38.91° N, 77.04° W) with the NOAA solar-position algorithm, for a flat horizon, in local time (America/New York). They are usually within a minute of published tables. Hills, buildings and weather can hide the sun a few minutes earlier than shown.