Sunset on the South Fork falls between 4:22pm on December 15 and 8:23pm on June 15, with the sun setting toward the southwest in winter and the northwest in summer. The table below gives sunrise, sunset and last light on the 15th of each month in 2026, along with the compass direction of the sunset.
Direction is the useful part for choosing a beach. In summer the sun sets over land from a south-facing ocean beach and over water from a north-facing bay beach; the sunset beaches guide explains which beaches work.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Last light | Sets toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 15 | 7:12am | 4:46pm | 5:16pm | WSW (243°) |
| February 15 | 6:43am | 5:24pm | 5:52pm | WSW (254°) |
| March 15 | 7:01am | 6:56pm | 7:23pm | W (268°) |
| April 15 | 6:10am | 7:29pm | 7:58pm | WNW (284°) |
| May 15 | 5:32am | 8:00pm | 8:32pm | WNW (296°) |
| June 15 | 5:17am | 8:23pm | 8:56pm | WNW (302°) |
| July 15 | 5:30am | 8:20pm | 8:52pm | WNW (300°) |
| August 15 | 5:59am | 7:47pm | 8:17pm | WNW (289°) |
| September 15 | 6:30am | 6:58pm | 7:26pm | W (274°) |
| October 15 | 7:01am | 6:09pm | 6:36pm | W (259°) |
| November 15 | 6:37am | 4:31pm | 5:00pm | WSW (246°) |
| December 15 | 7:07am | 4:22pm | 4:53pm | WSW (239°) |
How these were computed
We used NOAA’s solar position method, the Meeus algorithm behind NOAA’s Solar Calculator, for a point between Southampton and East Hampton (40.93 degrees north, 72.30 degrees west). Daylight saving time is applied from March 8 to November 1, 2026. We checked the method against New York City’s published solstice sunsets (8:31pm and 4:32pm) and it matches. Moving along the coast shifts the clock time only slightly: Montauk is about two minutes earlier and Westhampton Beach about one and a half minutes later.
Key dates
- Summer solstice, June 21: sunrise 5:17am, sunset 8:25pm, last light 8:58pm, sets at 303 degrees (northwest). Daylight is 15 hours 7 minutes.
- Winter solstice, December 21: sunrise 7:10am, sunset 4:24pm, last light 4:55pm, sets at 239 degrees (southwest). Daylight is 9 hours 14 minutes.
- Equinoxes, March 20 and September 22: the sun sets due west at about 271 degrees, around 7:01pm in March and 6:46pm in September.
Using last light
Last light here is the end of civil twilight, when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon. It is about 30 minutes after sunset. Daylight saving ends November 1, so sunset jumps from 5:46pm on October 31 to 4:45pm on November 1. Plan fall beach days accordingly.
Questions
What time is sunset in the Hamptons in July?
About 8:20pm on July 15, 2026, with the sun setting toward the northwest at 300 degrees.
When does the sun set over the ocean in the Hamptons?
From a south-facing ocean beach, only in the cold months, roughly November through January, when it sets toward the southwest.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Rules, hours and fees change; the operator’s posted signs win. How we check.