OHIO — Halloween brings Ohio’s darkest morning of 2026, with the latest sunrise of the year arriving across the state on Saturday. In Toledo, the sun does not rise until about 8:05 a.m., leaving many residents waking up in the dark. Saturday is the final morning before daylight saving time ends, and clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday.
Western Ohio Sees the Latest Sunrises Near 8:05 AM
The latest sunrises in Ohio are found across the western half of the state, which sits farther west within the Eastern Time Zone. Lima has the latest sunrise among major cities at 8:06 a.m., while Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati all see the sun come up around 8:05 a.m.
Central Ohio follows closely behind, with both Columbus and Mansfield seeing sunrise at about 8:00 a.m. These late sunrises mean many morning commutes and school bus routes are starting in darkness on the last day of October.
Eastern Ohio Sees Slightly Earlier Sunrises
Communities in eastern Ohio see the sun a few minutes earlier than the rest of the state. Cleveland’s sunrise arrives at about 7:58 a.m., while Athens in southeast Ohio sees sunrise near 7:56 a.m.
Youngstown has the earliest sunrise among the listed cities at about 7:53 a.m. The difference between eastern and western Ohio comes down to location within the time zone, with areas farther east seeing sunlight sooner.
Why the Latest Sunrise Does Not Happen on the Shortest Day
The latest sunrise of the year does not fall on the shortest day of the year in December. Earth’s tilt drives seasonal changes in daylight, but the clock also plays a major role in when the sun appears to rise.
Ohio has stayed on daylight saving time while mornings have grown steadily darker through the fall. That combination pushes sunrise to its latest point just before the time change, making Halloween morning darker than any morning in December.
Clocks Fall Back Sunday Bringing Earlier Sunrises and Sunsets
At 2 a.m. Sunday, clocks will fall back to 1 a.m. as daylight saving time ends. Toledo’s sunrise on Sunday will read about 7:06 a.m., with similar one-hour shifts across the rest of Ohio.
No daylight is actually gained with the change, only the time it is called. Brighter mornings will come with earlier sunsets, so drivers should prepare for darker evening commutes starting this week and stay alert for pedestrians after dark.
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