Days in Washington are currently getting shorter, about 17 minutes shorter than a week ago.*
* Calculated from sunrise and sunset times; actual visible daylight can vary slightly with weather, elevation and atmospheric conditions.
Geographic position of Washington
Washington is located in the Northern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. Its coordinates are 38.8951° N, 77.0364° W.
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Distance from the Equator:
about 4,330 km (2,691 mi)
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Distance from the North Pole:
about 5,689 km (3,535 mi)
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Distance from the South Pole:
about 14,349 km (8,916 mi)
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Distance from the Prime Meridian:
about 6,674 km (4,147 mi) west
Washington lies in the temperate latitude zone. This latitude affects daylight length, seasonal variation and how local solar time compares with standard clock time.
Antipode of Washington
The point on Earth exactly opposite Washington is near Perth - when it's noon in Washington, it's close to midnight there.
Golden Hour & Blue Hour in Washington
Approximate times based on sunrise/sunset. Actual golden hour quality varies with weather and season.
Current Season in Washington
Washington is currently in Autumn. Autumn begins around September 22, which is 1 day from now.
Because Washington is in the Northern Hemisphere, its seasons run opposite to cities in the other hemisphere. When it is autumn here, places on the other side of the equator are experiencing the opposite season at the same time.
Longest & Shortest Day in Washington
In Washington, the longest day of the year falls around June 21 and lasts about 14h 53m. The shortest day falls around December 21 and lasts about 9h 26m, a difference of roughly 5h 27m between the two.
This seasonal swing depends on Washington's latitude: cities closer to the equator see little variation in daylight throughout the year, while cities farther from it, like Washington at 38.90° N, experience a much wider gap between summer and winter daylight.
Population Ranking of Washington
With a population of 689,545, Washington ranks as the 24th most populous city in United States, out of 3,397 cities tracked on this site.
Airport in Washington
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA / KDCA) is a major international airport serving Washington directly.
Current local time at the airport is 09:31:19.
Daylight saving time changes in Washington
Washington uses the IANA time zone identifier America/New_York. The current local offset is UTC-4 / EDT.
2026
Previous change: Daylight saving time started
- The offset changed from UTC-5 / EST to UTC-4 / EDT.
- The clock was moved forward from 02:00 to 03:00 local time.
2026
Next change: Standard time starts
- The offset will change from UTC-4 / EDT to UTC-5 / EST.
- The clock will be moved back from 02:00 to 01:00 local time.
Best Time to Call Washington
Business hours in Washington (9 AM-5 PM local time) fall at these local times elsewhere:
- Los Angeles: 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- London: 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM ( Partial overlap)
- Dubai: 5:00 PM - 1:00 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Mumbai: 6:30 PM - 2:30 AM (next day) ( Partial overlap)
- Tokyo: 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
- Sydney: 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM (next day) ( Outside normal hours)
Times shown reflect current UTC offsets and may shift by up to an hour around daylight saving transitions.
Time Difference from Washington
Compare time in Washington with major cities worldwide.
Time now in other cities in United States
Public Holidays Affecting Washington
Official national holiday observed in United States.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time zone is Washington in?
Washington follows the America/New_York time zone, the official IANA identifier used by computers and databases worldwide to track local time accurately. Right now, this puts Washington at UTC-4.
What time is it in Washington right now?
The current local time in Washington is 09:31:19 on Sunday, 20 September 2026. This page updates automatically, so refreshing it will always show the live time.
Does Washington observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Washington is currently observing daylight saving time, which temporarily shifts the clock forward by one hour compared to standard time.
How far ahead or behind UTC is Washington?
Washington is currently UTC-4, meaning local time is 4 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
What is the nearest airport to Washington?
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is the airport serving Washington. The current local time at the airport is 09:31:19.
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