Winter Sunlight

Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
310
Location
CA
Had a question for those that live in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho area. What is the sunlight like during the winter? I don't mind the cold and even some snow. But the lack of sunlight has the wife concerned a little. She can get the winter blues a little and sunlight helps out a lot with this. We are both pretty active in the outdoors and have been to those areas during the summer and love them.

Thanks
 
Joined
Dec 22, 2018
Messages
615
Days are obviously shorter than southern states...winter sunrises/sunsets are unparalleled...mountain towns/ski resorts are known for powdery snow and crisp, bluebird days....towns in valleys are known for inversions, smog, fog and murk...
 

HRH2K

FNG
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
53
Location
Montana
Sunlight isn’t too bad, at the darkest it’s dark from about 5:00 pm to 8:00 am, for mid latitude in Montana at least. After the solstice, It changes noticeably fast.

The worst part of winter is the very end of it, in some places they call it spring. Cabin fever, for me at least, seems to be worst in April- May when winter just won’t give up...

The flip side, of course, is 6:00-9:30 sunlight during summer
 

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
5,595
Location
WA
I'm 70 miles south of Canada. Shortest day of the year its dark at 4:45 and light at 7:30. Longest days....430ish am to 945ish pm.
 

nodakian

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Messages
600
Location
Dickinson, ND
If you like sun shine, be cautious of NW MT and north ID. Fog and inversions are the norm November to March. I grew up there but couldn’t move back because of those conditions and similar issues as your wife. I stay on the prairies now. Colder but more sun. Good luck on your search.
 
Joined
Aug 25, 2015
Messages
536
Location
Wyoming
The wind blows hard enough to refract the sunlight I think.

Honestly though it’s pretty sunny most days. The “golden hour” seems to last half the day.


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bobr1

WKR
Joined
Dec 11, 2017
Messages
363
All those areas are terrible. No sunlight ever. I'd recommend California.

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nick15

FNG
Joined
Oct 29, 2019
Messages
29
Pretty easy to research this for anywhere in America...January 1 in Helena, MT is 8:12 SR and 4:51 SS. In Sacramento, CA it's 7:23 and 4:55. February 1 it's 7:52 and 5:31 in Helena and 7:11 and 5:27 in Sac.
 
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