As March progresses and astronomical spring approaches, many individuals in the UK are looking forward to bidding farewell to the damp and chilly winter weather. With the impending clock adjustment at the end of the month, Brits can anticipate longer and brighter evenings, allowing for more outdoor activities.
In 2026, residents can expect the sun to set after 9 pm starting from late May, lasting until mid-to-late July. London is projected to experience its first 9 pm sunset on May 26, approximately 11 weeks away.
The final sunset of the year is predicted to occur around June 24 or June 25, with about 60 sunsets happening at or after 9 pm. By late July, sunsets will gradually shift back to occurring before 9 pm.
In regions further north, such as Scotland, the 9 pm sunset is anticipated to happen earlier in May, with the last 9 pm sunset of 2026 expected around the beginning of August.
Following the clock change on March 29, some areas in Northern Ireland and north Scotland will witness sunsets after 8 pm. Sunset times are estimated to reach 8 pm in Edinburgh around April 6, in Cardiff around April 10, in Birmingham around April 12, and in London around April 17.
After the clock change, sunset times will improve rapidly. By mid-April, sunsets are expected to reach 8:30 pm, progressing to 9 pm by the end of April or early May.
On Sunday, March 29, at 1 am, the clocks in the UK will move forward by one hour, marking the beginning of British Summer Time (BST). This adjustment, known as “spring forward,” aims to maximize daylight during the warmer months, providing longer and brighter evenings.
The clocks will revert back by one hour at 2 am on the last Sunday in October, returning the UK to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The practice of changing the clocks was introduced in the UK in 1916 to optimize natural sunlight usage, initially implemented during World War I to conserve fuel and enhance productivity.
William Willett, a builder, advocated for this change to make the most of daylight hours and encourage the utilization of early morning light in summer. The UK is among the many countries worldwide that observe daylight saving time, with approximately 70 countries adopting this practice, including most of Europe, North America, and some regions in Australia.
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