When does it start getting dark earlier in Phoenix (2026)?
In Phoenix, sunsets start getting earlier after June 29 (7:42 PM) and keep getting earlier until December 4 (5:20 PM); Arizona does not use daylight saving time, so there is no one-hour jump in November.
Sunset in Phoenix, week by week, September to December 2026
| Week of | Sunset | Dark | Daylight | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12 h 51 min | −9 min |
| Sep 8 | 6:44 PM | 7:09 PM | 12 h 37 min | −9 min |
| Sep 15 | 6:34 PM | 6:59 PM | 12 h 23 min | −10 min |
| Sep 22 | 6:24 PM | 6:49 PM | 12 h 8 min | −10 min |
| Sep 29 | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 11 h 54 min | −10 min |
| Oct 6 | 6:05 PM | 6:30 PM | 11 h 40 min | −9 min |
| Oct 13 | 5:56 PM | 6:21 PM | 11 h 25 min | −9 min |
| Oct 20 | 5:48 PM | 6:13 PM | 11 h 12 min | −8 min |
| Oct 27 | 5:40 PM | 6:06 PM | 10 h 58 min | −8 min |
| Nov 3 | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10 h 45 min | −7 min |
| Nov 10 | 5:28 PM | 5:54 PM | 10 h 34 min | −6 min |
| Nov 17 | 5:24 PM | 5:51 PM | 10 h 23 min | −4 min |
| Nov 24 | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10 h 14 min | −3 min |
| Dec 1 | 5:20 PM | 5:47 PM | 10 h 6 min | −1 min |
| Dec 8 | 5:20 PM | 5:47 PM | 10 h 0 min | same |
| Dec 15 | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 9 h 57 min | +2 min |
| Dec 22 | 5:25 PM | 5:52 PM | 9 h 56 min | +3 min |
| Dec 29 | 5:29 PM | 5:56 PM | 9 h 58 min | +4 min |
Why it gets dark earlier
After the summer solstice the days get shorter, and in Phoenix the sunset on the clock reaches its latest on June 29. From there it gets earlier every day, slowly at first, then fastest around the September equinox, when it moves about 10 minutes earlier each week. Because Arizona stays on standard time all year, there is no sudden change in November; the evenings just draw in steadily.
Sunsets keep getting earlier until December 4, when the sun sets at 5:20 PM and it is dark by 5:47 PM. From latest to earliest that is a swing of 2 h 22 min on the clock. The earliest sunset comes 17 days before the shortest day (December 21); after it, evenings slowly get lighter even though the days are still getting shorter. See the earliest sunset of 2026 in Phoenix for the days around it.
Mornings
Sunrise also drifts later through the autumn: see sunrise in Phoenix around the November clock change.
How these times are calculated
Times are for Phoenix (33.45° N, 112.07° W), calculated with the NOAA solar-position algorithm for a flat horizon, in local clock time (America/Phoenix), including daylight saving time where it applies. They are the same numbers as on the Phoenix sunset and sunrise pages and are usually within a minute of published tables. Hills and buildings can hide the sun a few minutes early.