Beach Guide

Watch Hill Beach Sunset

Napatree Point · painted for this minute from Watch Hill Beach’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Mon Nov 2 · — ESTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · clear at 0%

The sun goes down at

4:42 PM

T-00:05:00

Watch Hill Beach faces east, so the sun goes down behind you, over land, 1 min before the official sunset time of 4:43 PM. Face the water for the pink afterglow in the half hour after. Watch Hill Beach is in the view. Best light from 4:22 PM to 5:12 PM.

Sunset Score · Clear sky (0% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast. Nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 4:37 PM · 9:30 PM

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🏠

Watch Hill Lighthouse

golden hour

🌾

Napatree Dune Grass

before sunset

🌊

Block Island Sound

all evening

🌅

Open Water Glow

at sunset

Know Before You Go

Best sunset

Napatree Pt

barrier spit, sun drops into the Sound

Lighthouse

1867 Light

Watch Hill Light, Block Island Sound

Historic

1883 carousel

Flying Horses, oldest in the USA

Napatree

no vehicles

wildlife refuge, walk access only

see you at sunset

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

What time is sunset at Watch Hill Beach tonight?

Tonight, Monday, November 2, the sun sets at 4:43 PM at Watch Hill Beach. Watch Hill Beach faces east, so the sun goes down behind the beach, over land. Turn and face the water for the pink and purple afterglow in the half hour after. Golden hour starts at 4:03 PM, and the sky stays light until about 5:11 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10. Clear sky (0% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Sunrise today was at 6:21 AM, which gives Watch Hill Beach 10 hr 22 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 5:44 PM.

Watch Hill Beach sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Watch Hill 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
Tonight4:43 PMfrom 4:03 PM5:11 PM0%5/10
Tue Nov 34:42 PMfrom 4:02 PM5:10 PM100%3/10
Wed Nov 44:41 PMfrom 4:00 PM5:09 PM0%5/10
Thu Nov 54:40 PMfrom 3:59 PM5:08 PM41%9/10
Fri Nov 64:39 PMfrom 3:58 PM5:07 PM100%3/10
Sat Nov 74:38 PMfrom 3:56 PM5:06 PM0%5/10
Sun Nov 84:37 PMfrom 3:55 PM5:05 PM69%6/10

Where to watch the sunset at Watch Hill Beach

Watch Hill Beach faces east, away from the sunset. The sun goes down behind you, over land, so the view to catch is the afterglow: the band of pink above the dark blue shadow of the earth rising over the water, best from sunset to about 30 minutes after.

Tonight’s timeline for Napatree Point 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 (303°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (239°). In June it sets behind the beach. In December it sets behind the beach.

Golden hour and blue hour at Watch Hill Beach

Golden hour tonight runs from 4:03 PM to sunset at 4:43 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 5:00 PM to 5:22 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.

Watch Hill Beach sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 4:20 PM (Wed Dec 9) and the latest is 8:26 PM (Sun Jun 27). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
November 20266:37 AM4:30 PM9 hr 53 min
December 20267:08 AM4:20 PM9 hr 13 min
January 20277:12 AM4:43 PM9 hr 31 min
February 20276:44 AM5:22 PM10 hr 38 min
March 20277:01 AM6:54 PM11 hr 53 min
April 20276:10 AM7:28 PM13 hr 18 min
May 20275:31 AM8:00 PM14 hr 29 min
June 20275:15 AM8:23 PM15 hr 8 min
July 20275:28 AM8:21 PM14 hr 53 min
August 20275:58 AM7:49 PM13 hr 52 min
September 20276:29 AM7:00 PM12 hr 31 min
October 20277:00 AM6:09 PM11 hr 9 min

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

Watch Hill Beach sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Watch Hill Beach today?

The sun sets at 4:43 PM at Watch Hill Beach today (Monday, November 2).

What time is sunrise at Watch Hill Beach today?

The sun rose at 6:21 AM at Watch Hill Beach today.

How many hours of daylight does Watch Hill Beach get today?

10 hr 22 min of daylight, from 6:21 AM to 4:43 PM.

When is golden hour at Watch Hill Beach tonight?

Golden hour at Watch Hill Beach runs from 4:03 PM to sunset at 4:43 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 5:00 PM to 5:22 PM.

When does it get dark at Watch Hill Beach tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 5:11 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 5:44 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Watch Hill Beach tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Clear sky (0% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Which direction does the sun set at Watch Hill Beach?

Watch Hill Beach faces east, so the sun sets behind the beach, over land. Tonight it goes down in the west-south-west.

Can you see the sun set over the water at Watch Hill Beach?

No. Watch Hill Beach faces east, so the sun sets behind you, over land. The show over the water is the afterglow in the half hour after sunset.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Watch Hill Beach?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Watch Hill Beach is 4:20 PM on Wednesday, December 9, and the latest is 8:26 PM on Sunday, June 27.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Watch Hill Beach?

Napatree Point is the favorite spot at Watch Hill 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 Watch Hill Beach

Misquamicut Beach sunset3 mi4:43 PM
Ocean Beach Park sunset12 mi4:44 PM
Crescent Beach sunset17 mi4:42 PM
East Matunuck State Beach sunset17 mi4:42 PM
Ditch Plains Beach sunset19 mi4:44 PM
Rocky Neck State Park sunset20 mi4:45 PM

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