Des Moines, IA · December 2026

Des Moines sunrise and sunset in December 2026

Short answer

Des Moines loses 10 minutes of daylight in December 2026, from 9 h 23 min on the 1st to 9 h 13 min on the 31st. The biggest one-day change is 1.3 minutes, on December 2.
December 1
9 h 23 min
December 31
9 h 13 min

December at a glance

Des Moines loses 10 minutes of daylight in December 2026, from 9 h 23 min on the 1st to 9 h 13 min on the 31st. The biggest one-day change is 1.3 minutes, on December 2.

00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00Dec 1Dec 8Dec 15Dec 22Dec 29
Each column is one day, from sunrise to sunset in local clock time (CST).

Sunrise ranges from 7:21 AM on December 1 to 7:41 AM on December 31, and sunset from 4:44 PM on December 2 to 4:54 PM on December 31. Clocks stay on CST all month.

The average December day, 9 h 13 min, is 38 minutes shorter than November's and 21 minutes shorter than January's.

December in the year

Average day length for each month of 2026 in Des Moines, with December marked. The longest month on average is June and the shortest is December.

9 h 13 minJFMAMJJASOND

Compared with other capitals

On December 15, Des Moines gets 9 h 11 min of daylight, 34th of the 51 capitals. Honolulu has the most that day, 10 h 51 min, and Juneau the least, 6 h 25 min. Among neighboring capitals, Saint Paul gets 8 h 48 min, Madison gets 9 h 01 min, Springfield gets 9 h 22 min, Jefferson City gets 9 h 29 min, Lincoln gets 9 h 16 min, Pierre gets 8 h 52 min.

Every day in December 2026

DayCivil dawnSunriseSolar noonSunsetCivil duskDaylightChange
Dec 16:50 AM7:21 AM12:03 PM4:45 PM5:15 PM9 h 23 min
Dec 26:51 AM7:22 AM12:03 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 22 min-1:17
Dec 36:52 AM7:23 AM12:04 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 21 min-1:14
Dec 46:53 AM7:24 AM12:04 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 20 min-1:10
Dec 56:54 AM7:25 AM12:05 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 19 min-1:07
Dec 66:55 AM7:26 AM12:05 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 17 min-1:03
Dec 76:56 AM7:27 AM12:05 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 16 min-0:59
Dec 86:57 AM7:28 AM12:06 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 16 min-0:55
Dec 96:58 AM7:29 AM12:06 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 15 min-0:52
Dec 106:58 AM7:30 AM12:07 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 14 min-0:48
Dec 116:59 AM7:31 AM12:07 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 13 min-0:44
Dec 127:00 AM7:31 AM12:08 PM4:44 PM5:15 PM9 h 13 min-0:40
Dec 137:01 AM7:32 AM12:08 PM4:44 PM5:16 PM9 h 12 min-0:36
Dec 147:02 AM7:33 AM12:09 PM4:44 PM5:16 PM9 h 11 min-0:32
Dec 157:02 AM7:34 AM12:09 PM4:45 PM5:16 PM9 h 11 min-0:28
Dec 167:03 AM7:34 AM12:10 PM4:45 PM5:16 PM9 h 11 min-0:23
Dec 177:04 AM7:35 AM12:10 PM4:45 PM5:17 PM9 h 10 min-0:19
Dec 187:04 AM7:36 AM12:11 PM4:46 PM5:17 PM9 h 10 min-0:15
Dec 197:05 AM7:36 AM12:11 PM4:46 PM5:18 PM9 h 10 min-0:11
Dec 207:05 AM7:37 AM12:12 PM4:46 PM5:18 PM9 h 10 min-0:07
Dec 217:06 AM7:37 AM12:12 PM4:47 PM5:18 PM9 h 10 min-0:03
Dec 227:06 AM7:38 AM12:13 PM4:47 PM5:19 PM9 h 10 min+0:02
Dec 237:07 AM7:38 AM12:13 PM4:48 PM5:20 PM9 h 10 min+0:06
Dec 247:07 AM7:39 AM12:14 PM4:49 PM5:20 PM9 h 10 min+0:10
Dec 257:08 AM7:39 AM12:14 PM4:49 PM5:21 PM9 h 10 min+0:14
Dec 267:08 AM7:39 AM12:15 PM4:50 PM5:21 PM9 h 10 min+0:18
Dec 277:08 AM7:40 AM12:15 PM4:51 PM5:22 PM9 h 11 min+0:23
Dec 287:09 AM7:40 AM12:16 PM4:51 PM5:23 PM9 h 11 min+0:27
Dec 297:09 AM7:40 AM12:16 PM4:52 PM5:23 PM9 h 12 min+0:31
Dec 307:09 AM7:40 AM12:17 PM4:53 PM5:24 PM9 h 12 min+0:35
Dec 317:09 AM7:41 AM12:17 PM4:54 PM5:25 PM9 h 13 min+0:39
Local clock time (CST). Sunrise and sunset when the sun's center is 0.833° below the horizon; civil twilight at 6°.

How these times are computed

Each row runs the SunCalc solar model for the stored capitol coordinate, 41.591° N, 93.604° W, and converts the result to local clock time with the America/Chicago time zone rules. Times assume a flat, open horizon at sea level. Hills, buildings and elevation shift what you see by a few minutes. The sunrise and sunset guide walks through the calculation.

Questions people ask

What time is sunrise in Des Moines in December?

Between 7:21 AM (December 1) and 7:41 AM (December 31) in 2026, local time.

What time is sunset in Des Moines in December?

Between 4:44 PM (December 2) and 4:54 PM (December 31) in 2026, local time.

How many hours of daylight does Des Moines get in December?

9 h 13 min on average, from 9 h 23 min on December 1 to 9 h 13 min on December 31.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: computed for December 2026 at 41.591° N, 93.604° W.

  1. 01SunCalc library (Vladimir Agafonkin), algorithms after Jean Meeus
  2. 02IANA time zone database (clock times and daylight saving rules)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.