Beach Guide

Fort Walton Beach Sunset

Okaloosa Island · painted for this minute from Fort Walton Beach’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Thu Oct 29 · — CDTLIVE

Golden hour · the sun is 0.8° up · overcast at 97%

The sun goes down at

5:59 PM

T-00:05:00

It drops behind land 193 m away to the west-south-west, 4 min before the official sunset time of 6:03 PM. Look west-south-west, to the left of Okaloosa Island. Golden hour starts at 5:29 PM.

Sunset Score · Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night. Thin high clouds (100%) that turn pink after the sun goes down; nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 5:54 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Destin-FWB cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🎸

Live Music at AJ's

all evening

🌊

Emerald Water

all day

🐊

Gators at Fudpucker's

all day

🚤

Crab Island Boats

afternoon

🎉

Island Nightlife

after sunset

Know Before You Go

Beach

free

Okaloosa Island lots are always free

Fishing

surf fishing

no license from the beach

Water

emerald

same Gulf as Destin, fewer people

Webcam

Destin-FWB

live views of the emerald coast

see you at sunset

Tonight’s times, the week ahead and the year by month are below. Okaloosa Sunset runs nightly, weather permitting, from about two hours before sunset.

What time is sunset at Fort Walton Beach tonight?

Tonight, Thursday, October 29, the sun sets at 6:03 PM at Fort Walton Beach. From the sand it drops behind land 633 feet away 4 min earlier, at 5:59 PM. Golden hour starts at 5:29 PM, and the sky stays light until about 6:27 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10. Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Sunrise today was at 7:00 AM, which gives Fort Walton Beach 11 hr 3 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 6:55 PM.

Fort Walton Beach sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Fort Walton Beach: when the sun goes down, when golden hour starts and when the last light fades, plus the Sunset Score from each night's cloud forecast.

DaySunsetGolden hourLast lightCloudScore
Tonight5:59 PMfrom 5:29 PM6:27 PM100%3/10
Fri Oct 305:59 PMfrom 5:28 PM6:26 PM100%3/10
Sat Oct 315:58 PMfrom 5:27 PM6:25 PM100%3/10
Sun Nov 14:57 PMfrom 4:26 PM5:24 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 24:57 PMfrom 4:25 PM5:23 PM76%6/10
Tue Nov 34:56 PMfrom 4:24 PM5:23 PM53%9/10
Wed Nov 44:56 PMfrom 4:23 PM5:22 PM58%9/10

On nights the sun drops behind land, the table shows the time it disappears from the beach, which is earlier than the official sunset.

Where to watch the sunset at Fort Walton Beach

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (254° on a compass), to the left of Okaloosa Island as you face the water. The favorite place to watch is Okaloosa Island.

Tonight’s timeline for Okaloosa Sunset is at the top of this page.

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Destin-FWB cam at sunset.

Where the sun sets through the year

The spot where the sun sets moves along the horizon through the year. Around June 21 it goes down furthest north, in the west-north-west (298°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (243°). In June it drops behind land 755 feet away. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Fort Walton Beach

Golden hour tonight runs from 5:29 PM to sunset at 6:03 PM. The sun is low, the light is warm and soft, and shadows are long. It is the best time for photos of people on the beach.

Blue hour follows, from about 6:17 PM to 6:36 PM, when the sun is below the horizon and the sky turns deep blue. The first lights come on along the shore and the water holds the last of the color.

Fort Walton Beach sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 4:47 PM (Wed Dec 2) and the latest is 7:54 PM (Wed Jun 30). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20266:50 AM6:17 PM11 hr 27 min
November 20266:14 AM4:51 PM10 hr 38 min
December 20266:37 AM4:49 PM10 hr 12 min
January 20276:45 AM5:09 PM10 hr 24 min
February 20276:29 AM5:36 PM11 hr 7 min
March 20276:58 AM6:56 PM11 hr 57 min
April 20276:21 AM7:15 PM12 hr 54 min
May 20275:54 AM7:35 PM13 hr 41 min
June 20275:45 AM7:51 PM14 hr 6 min
July 20275:56 AM7:51 PM13 hr 56 min
August 20276:14 AM7:30 PM13 hr 16 min
September 20276:32 AM6:54 PM12 hr 22 min

Tips for a great sunset at Fort Walton Beach

  • Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. The best spots fill up, and the light is often at its best in the last half hour before the sun goes down.
  • Stay 20 minutes after. The clouds often light up brightest after the sun is gone, and most people have already left.
  • Check the Sunset Score. Scattered clouds make the most color. A clear sky gives a clean sunset that fades fast, and a heavy overcast can hide it.
  • Plan your parking. Sunset is a busy time at popular beaches. See Fort Walton Beach parking for lots and rates.
  • Look at the water too. Today’s wind, waves and water temperature are on the Fort Walton Beach conditions page.
  • Make a night of it. Find places to eat and sunset cruises and things to do at Fort Walton Beach.

How we work out the sunset time

The official sunset time is when the top of the sun sinks below a flat sea horizon. We also check Fort Walton Beach’s real horizon: the hills, headlands and islands you can see from the sand. When land is in the way, the sun disappears before the official time, and we show you that earlier time. The Sunset Score rates how colorful the sky should be from the cloud forecast at sunset. Buildings are not included, so a tall hotel beside you can still hide the last minute.

Fort Walton Beach sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Fort Walton Beach today?

The sun sets at 6:03 PM at Fort Walton Beach today (Thursday, October 29). From the beach it drops behind land 4 min earlier, at 5:59 PM.

What time is sunrise at Fort Walton Beach today?

The sun rose at 7:00 AM at Fort Walton Beach today.

How many hours of daylight does Fort Walton Beach get today?

11 hr 3 min of daylight, from 7:00 AM to 6:03 PM.

When is golden hour at Fort Walton Beach tonight?

Golden hour at Fort Walton Beach runs from 5:29 PM to sunset at 6:03 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 6:17 PM to 6:36 PM.

When does it get dark at Fort Walton Beach tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 6:27 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 6:55 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Fort Walton Beach tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 3 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Overcast (100% cover): you may not see the sun go down. Try another night.

Which direction does the sun set at Fort Walton Beach?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 254° on a compass. Through the year it moves between the west-north-west in June and the west-south-west in December.

Can you see the sun set over the water at Fort Walton Beach?

Not tonight. The sun drops behind land 633 feet away, to the west-south-west.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Fort Walton Beach?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Fort Walton Beach is 4:47 PM on Wednesday, December 2, and the latest is 7:54 PM on Wednesday, June 30.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Fort Walton Beach?

Okaloosa Island is the favorite spot at Fort Walton Beach. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Is there a live sunset cam at Fort Walton Beach?

Yes. The Destin-FWB live cam shows Fort Walton Beach in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Fort Walton Beach

Destin sunset8 mi6:03 PM
Santa Rosa Beach sunset25 mi6:02 PM
Grayton Beach sunset28 mi6:01 PM
30A sunset29 mi6:01 PM
Seaside sunset29 mi6:01 PM
Pensacola Beach sunset33 mi6:05 PM

See every beach on one map: sunset times tonight across the US →