Longest and shortest day in San Francisco
In San Francisco, United States, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 14h 47m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 9h 33m.
| Turning point | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 07:12 | 19:21 | 12h 9m |
| June solstice | Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 05:48 | 20:35 | 14h 47m |
| September equinox | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 06:57 | 19:06 | 12h 9m |
| December solstice | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 07:21 | 16:54 | 9h 33m |
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:23 | 17:14 | 9h 51m |
| February | 06:59 | 17:48 | 10h 49m |
| March | 07:20 | 19:16 | 11h 56m |
| April | 06:34 | 19:45 | 13h 11m |
| May | 05:59 | 20:12 | 14h 13m |
| June | 05:47 | 20:33 | 14h 46m |
| July | 05:59 | 20:31 | 14h 31m |
| August | 06:25 | 20:02 | 13h 37m |
| September | 06:51 | 19:17 | 12h 26m |
| October | 07:18 | 18:31 | 11h 14m |
| November | 06:50 | 16:58 | 10h 8m |
| December | 07:17 | 16:51 | 9h 34m |
Why the day gets longer and shorter in San Francisco
Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, San Francisco leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far San Francisco sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.
Frequently asked questions about day length in San Francisco
When is the longest day in San Francisco?
The longest day in San Francisco falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 14h 47m of daylight, sunrise at 05:48 and sunset at 20:35.
When is the shortest day in San Francisco?
The shortest day in San Francisco falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 33m of daylight, sunrise at 07:21 and sunset at 16:54.
How much does day length change through the year in San Francisco?
Between the longest and shortest day, San Francisco gains and loses about 5h 14m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
Every figure is computed from San Francisco's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.