Beach Guide

Morro Bay State Beach Sunset

Morro Bay Embarcadero · painted for this minute from Morro Bay State Beach’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Mon Nov 2 · — PSTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · overcast at 100%

The sun goes down at

5:09 PM

T-00:05:00

It sets straight into the water, so the official sunset time is when you will see it go. Look west-south-west, to the left of Morro Rock. Golden hour starts at 4:33 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; mid-level clouds (53%) that glow orange from underneath; nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 5:04 PM · 9:30 PM

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🪨

Morro Rock Silhouette

at sunset

🐦

Estuary Shorebirds

all evening

🦭

Harbor Seals

on the rocks

🚢

Fishing Fleet

dusk return

Know Before You Go

Rock trail

restricted

Morro Rock is a state reserve, no climbing

Rock height

576 ft

One of the Nine Sisters volcanic plugs

Wildlife

peregrine

Falcon nests on the rock face year-round

Estuary

top birding

200+ species in the Morro Bay Estuary

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Morro Bay State Beach tonight?

Tonight, Monday, November 2, the sun sets at 5:09 PM at Morro Bay State Beach. It sets over open water here, so that is when you will see it go. Golden hour starts at 4:32 PM, and the sky stays light until about 5:35 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 6:27 AM, which gives Morro Bay State Beach 10 hr 42 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 6:05 PM.

Morro Bay State Beach sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Morro Bay State 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
Tonight5:09 PMfrom 4:32 PM5:35 PM100%3/10
Tue Nov 35:08 PMfrom 4:31 PM5:34 PM53%9/10
Wed Nov 45:07 PMfrom 4:30 PM5:33 PM5%5/10
Thu Nov 55:07 PMfrom 4:29 PM5:32 PM100%3/10
Fri Nov 65:06 PMfrom 4:28 PM5:31 PM0%5/10
Sat Nov 75:05 PMfrom 4:27 PM5:30 PM0%5/10
Sun Nov 85:04 PMfrom 4:26 PM5:29 PM6%5/10

Where to watch the sunset at Morro Bay State Beach

Tonight the sun goes down in the west-south-west (252° on a compass), to the left of Morro Rock as you face the water. The favorite place to watch is Morro Bay Embarcadero.

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

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 (300°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (242°). In June it sets over open water. In December it sets over open water.

Golden hour and blue hour at Morro Bay State Beach

Golden hour tonight runs from 4:32 PM to sunset at 5:09 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 5:24 PM to 5:45 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.

Morro Bay State Beach sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 4:52 PM (Sat Dec 5) and the latest is 8:24 PM (Mon Jun 28). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
November 20266:40 AM4:59 PM10 hr 19 min
December 20267:06 AM4:54 PM9 hr 47 min
January 20277:13 AM5:15 PM10 hr 2 min
February 20276:52 AM5:46 PM10 hr 55 min
March 20277:16 AM7:12 PM11 hr 56 min
April 20276:32 AM7:37 PM13 hr 4 min
May 20276:01 AM8:02 PM14 hr 1 min
June 20275:49 AM8:21 PM14 hr 32 min
July 20276:01 AM8:20 PM14 hr 19 min
August 20276:24 AM7:55 PM13 hr 31 min
September 20276:47 AM7:13 PM12 hr 26 min
October 20277:11 AM6:30 PM11 hr 20 min

Tips for a great sunset at Morro Bay State 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 Morro Bay State Beach parking for lots and rates.
  • Look at the water too. Today’s wind, waves and water temperature are on the Morro Bay State Beach conditions page.
  • Make a night of it. Find places to eat and sunset cruises and things to do at Morro Bay State 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 Morro Bay State 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.

Morro Bay State Beach sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Morro Bay State Beach today?

The sun sets at 5:09 PM at Morro Bay State Beach today (Monday, November 2).

What time is sunrise at Morro Bay State Beach today?

The sun rose at 6:27 AM at Morro Bay State Beach today.

How many hours of daylight does Morro Bay State Beach get today?

10 hr 42 min of daylight, from 6:27 AM to 5:09 PM.

When is golden hour at Morro Bay State Beach tonight?

Golden hour at Morro Bay State Beach runs from 4:32 PM to sunset at 5:09 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 5:24 PM to 5:45 PM.

When does it get dark at Morro Bay State Beach tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 5:35 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 6:05 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Morro Bay State 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 Morro Bay State Beach?

Tonight the sun sets in the west-south-west, at 252° 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 Morro Bay State Beach?

Yes. Tonight the sun sets over open water, to the west-south-west.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Morro Bay State Beach?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Morro Bay State Beach is 4:52 PM on Saturday, December 5, and the latest is 8:24 PM on Monday, June 28.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Morro Bay State Beach?

Morro Bay Embarcadero is the favorite spot at Morro Bay State Beach. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Morro Bay State Beach

Cayucos Beach sunset6 mi5:09 PM
Avila Beach sunset14 mi5:09 PM
Pismo Beach sunset19 mi5:09 PM
Pfeiffer Beach sunset81 mi5:12 PM
Santa Barbara East Beach sunset95 mi5:06 PM
Carmel Beach sunset102 mi5:12 PM

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