PORTLAND, Oregon — The sun is starting to set after 7 p.m. since daylight saving time took effect on Sunday.
On March 10, the sun set at 7:10 p.m. in Portland. Daylight will continue to gain until the summer solstice on June 20, the longest day, when the sun will set at 9:03 p.m.
Portland metro sunset tracker
If looking towards spring and summer with anticipation of having more sun in the evenings, here's a breakdown of when the biggest sun gains will be, from springing forward to the summer solstice:
- By March 31, sunset will be after 7:30 p.m.
- On April 17, sunset will be at 8 p.m.
- By May 11, sunset will be after 8:30 p.m.
- On June 12, sunsets will start to be after 9 p.m. until early July.
Why do we have more daylight in the spring and summer?
At different times of the year, the earth's axis is pointed toward or away from the sun, meaning the Southern and Northern hemispheres receive different amounts of daylight. During the spring and summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, then away during the fall and winter.
This means that the sun's path across the sky is longer in the spring and summer when the North Pole is closer to the sun giving the days more daylight.
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