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45.1219° N95.0433° W348 mBortle 6Chicago

Sunrise, Sunset & Golden Hour in Willmar, MN

Kandiyohi County, Minnesota · pop. 19,638

  • Sunrise 7:43 AM
  • Sunset 6:28 PM
  • Bortle 6

Willmar is a city of about 19,638 people in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, at 348 m (1,142 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:43 AM and sets at 6:28 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:47 PM – 6:46 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.

Light at Willmar

Live
Sunrise
7:43 AM
Sunset
6:28 PM
Golden hour AM
7:25 AM – 8:24 AM
Golden hour PM
5:47 PM – 6:46 PM
Blue hour AM
7:13 AM – 7:25 AM
Blue hour PM
6:46 PM – 6:58 PM
Full darkness
8:06 PM – 6:06 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:58 PM / 1:25 AM
Day length
10h 45m
Sunrise azimuth
104°
Sunset azimuth
256°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month

Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:56 AM8:43 AM4:18 PM5:04 PM5:37 PM9h 09m
February7:22 AM8:04 AM5:07 PM5:48 PM6:18 PM10h 26m
March7:34 AM8:13 AM6:47 PM7:26 PM7:56 PM11h 53m
April6:36 AM7:15 AM7:26 PM8:06 PM8:36 PM13h 30m
May5:52 AM6:34 AM8:01 PM8:43 PM9:17 PM14h 51m
June5:33 AM6:18 AM8:24 PM9:10 PM9:47 PM15h 37m
July5:48 AM6:32 AM8:21 PM9:06 PM9:42 PM15h 18m
August6:22 AM7:03 AM7:48 PM8:29 PM9:01 PM14h 06m
September7:00 AM7:38 AM6:54 PM7:33 PM8:03 PM12h 34m
October7:36 AM8:17 AM5:57 PM6:37 PM7:06 PM11h 00m
November7:19 AM8:04 AM4:08 PM4:52 PM5:24 PM9h 33m
December7:53 AM8:42 AM3:51 PM4:39 PM5:13 PM8h 47m

Local time in America/Chicago, daylight saving time included.

Where the sun rises and sets in Willmar

At Willmar the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Best photo spots near Willmar

12 photo locations lie within 80 km of Willmar. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.

Scenic Viewpoints

Scenic Viewpoint
Minnesota River Valley Overlook51 km away · Chippewa County · 293 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Granite Falls Overlook53 km away · Yellow Medicine County · 272 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Pigeon Lake Overlook55 km away · Meeker County · 321 m

Waterfalls

Waterfall
Minnesota Falls51 km away · Yellow Medicine County · 268 m
Waterfall
Ramsey Falls64 km away · Redwood County · 286 m

State Parks

Sibley State ParkState Park
Sibley State Park22 km away · Kandiyohi County
Monson Lake State ParkState Park
Monson Lake State Park28 km away · Kandiyohi County
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation AreaState Park
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area47 km away · Meeker County
Upper Sioux Agency State ParkState Park
Upper Sioux Agency State Park54 km away · Yellow Medicine County
Glacial Lakes State ParkState Park
Glacial Lakes State Park59 km away · Pope County
Lac qui Parle State ParkState Park
Lac qui Parle State Park67 km away · Chippewa County

Night sky, Milky Way & aurora

The sky over central Willmar is estimated at Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Big Stone Lake, about 127 km (79 mi) away (Bortle 1). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from April to August, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 4.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.

Darkest skies within 200 km

LocationTypeDistanceEst. Bortle
Big Stone LakeLake127 km (79 mi)1
Big Stone Lake OverlookScenic Viewpoint133 km (83 mi)1
Lake Elsie National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge180 km (112 mi)1
Waubay National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge183 km (114 mi)1
Monson Lake State ParkState Park28 km (18 mi)2
Upper Sioux Agency State ParkState Park54 km (34 mi)2
Glacial Lakes State ParkState Park59 km (37 mi)2
Lac qui Parle State ParkState Park67 km (42 mi)2
MonthMilky Way core window (15th)HoursMax altitude
March5:24 AM – 5:44 AM0.312°
April3:23 AM – 4:43 AM1.315°
May1:21 AM – 3:31 AM2.216°
June11:42 PM – 2:52 AM3.216°
July11:26 PM – 1:36 AM2.216°
August10:23 PM – 11:33 PM1.215°
September9:13 PM – 9:33 PM0.312°

Cloud cover by month

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

FAQ

What time is golden hour in Willmar today?
Today the morning golden hour is 7:25 AM – 8:24 AM and the evening golden hour is 5:47 PM – 6:46 PM (local time). The live widget at the top updates automatically and lets you pick any date.
What time is sunset in Willmar in October?
Around the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:37 PM and blue hour ends around 7:06 PM.
When is the latest sunset in Willmar?
Sunset is latest in late June — about 9:12 PM — and earliest in December, around 4:41 PM.
Where can I watch the sunset near Willmar?
Good options nearby include Minnesota River Valley Overlook, Granite Falls Overlook, Pigeon Lake Overlook. Check each page's sunset azimuth to see whether the sun sets in view.
Can you see the Milky Way from Willmar?
Not well from the city center (estimated Bortle 6). Drive to Big Stone Lake (127 km (79 mi)) for dark skies.
Can you see the northern lights in Willmar?
Occasionally. Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5 or higher to show on the northern horizon at this geomagnetic latitude (53°). Cameras pick it up before your eyes do.