Where the sun is in the evening
The sun does not simply set “in the west”. In June it disappears in the north-west, not until around half past nine in the evening. In December it sets in the south-west, before five o’clock. A west-facing balcony gets sun until late in summer. In winter it only gets sun if nothing is in the way to the south-west, and even then the sun is gone by the afternoon.
These times apply to an open horizon. A hill, a forest or the house opposite takes the sun away earlier. In a valley or on an east-facing slope, the evening sun can disappear an hour or more before the actual sunset.
Balcony, terrace, seating area: orientations compared
- West-facing balcony: sun from early afternoon until sunset. Warm until late in summer, short and low in winter.
- South-west-facing terrace: midday and afternoon sun, and the longest sunshine in winter. For most people the best orientation for the whole year.
- South-facing balcony: lots of sun around midday; on summer evenings already in the shadow of its own building.
- East-facing balcony: morning sun until midday. For the breakfast table, not for after work.
- Seating area in the garden: what counts here is the distance to the house, hedge and trees. A few metres decide whether there is still sun at seven in the evening.
Sun path for your own address
If you want to know exactly, you need the sun path above the real horizon of the address. SunPlot shows it in the report: the view from the house towards the sun, with sunrise and sunset behind the actual mountains and houses, for every day of the year. Plus the shadow-hours map around the house, which counts for every spot in the garden how many hours it lies in shadow.
What the report shows for balconies and terraces
- Sun path with sunrise and sunset behind the real horizon, for any date.
- Shadows in 3D at any time of day: at 18:00 in June, at 15:00 in December.
- Shadow-hours map: the sunniest spot in the garden, for a day, month, winter or year.
- View from the façades, with the mountains on the horizon.
Short answers
When does a west-facing balcony get sun?
From early afternoon until sunset, as long as no house, hill or tree is in the way. In June until around half past nine in the evening, in December only until the afternoon, because the sun then sets in the south-west.
Which balcony orientation gets the most evening sun?
West and south-west. South-west is the most balanced over the year, because in winter it also gets the midday sun. A purely south-facing balcony is usually in the shadow of its own building on summer evenings.
Can I see the sun path for my address?
Yes. The SunPlot report shows the sun path above the real horizon of the address, with sunrise and sunset behind mountains and houses, for every day of the year, plus the cast shadows in 3D at any time of day.