Last 7 P.M. Sunsets Mark Impending Shorter Days in Pacific Northwest

The last 7 p.m. sunsets of the year have recently occurred or are occurring across the Pacific Northwest, marking the transition to shorter days and longer nights as the region moves deeper into the fall season. Vancouver saw its final 7 p.m. sunset on September 26, with daylight now decreasing to about 11 hours and 55 minutes, while Seattle experienced its last 7 p.m. sunset on September 25, signaling the onset of "The Big Dark" and rapidly diminishing daylight throughout October and November. Portland's last 7 p.m. sunset occurred on September 26, with daylight dropping below 12 hours for the first time this season, and the city will see sunsets before 6 p.m. by late October and before 5 p.m. after the end of Daylight Saving Time on November 2. Across the region, daylight saving time ends on November 2, which will cause clocks to fall back an hour, resulting in earlier sunrises and sunsets, with Seattle's sunset dropping to 4:47 p.m. that day. The rapid loss of daylight during September and October is due to Earth's axial tilt and orbit, with the Northern Hemisphere tilting away from the sun in fall and winter, leading to shorter days until the winter solstice on December 21. Legislative efforts are underway in Washington state to potentially make daylight saving time permanent, which would prevent the clock from falling back and help preserve later sunsets during winter months, but federal approval is still required.