The days are slowly but surely getting longer as winter carries on, and this week we’ll see the first big milestone signaling that spring isn’t far away.
Chicago will observe its first post-5 p.m. sunset since early November 2025 this week!
Here’s everything to know.
Sun to set after 5 p.m. on Thursday
The sun will set after 5 p.m. for the first time in 2026 on Thursday, January 29, according to data from Time and Date. The sun will dip below the horizon at exactly 5:01 p.m.
While it’s just a small tick in the right direction, the days will only get longer from here until the summer solstice in June.
Sunset will occur approximately a minute later each day now through February and into early March.
On March 8, we’ll reach the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, at which point our clocks will jump forward and the sun won’t set until 6:49 p.m.
So hang in there Chicago, brighter days are just a few weeks away!