GoldCast · Santa Fe, NM

Sunset Tonight in Santa Fe


Reading tonight's sky
Sunset
Golden hour
Sky coverage
Atmosphere
Horizon clarity

GoldCast sunset forecast — LightCast Suite
LightCast
iOS App LightCast Suite
🌅 GoldCast — golden hour score & cloud forecast
🌌 StarCast — night sky & Milky Way visibility
🚁 DroneCast — wind & flight readiness
🌫️ FogCast — fog & mist forecasting
☁️ CloudCast — cloud cover & dramatic sky timing
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The app is more than the score. Get a full 7-day golden hour outlook, cloud layer timing, and a map of better light nearby. Set notification preferences so you can plan shoots days out, not just check tonight.

LightCast GoldCast forecast Better light nearby map
Frequently asked
Will the sunset be good tonight in Santa Fe?
The live score above pulls today's forecast and runs it through GoldCast's scoring model. Above 70 is worth going out. Below 40, stay home. The score updates daily.
What makes a good sunset in Santa Fe?
Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet on the southern flank of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico. The mountains get their name — Blood of Christ — from the deep red and violet alpenglow that lights up the peaks after sunset. The high desert plateau to the west gives a clean, open horizon with minimal obstruction, and the thin air at elevation keeps color vivid and clear. The Atalaya Mountain trails above the city and the foothills west of town both provide elevated views over the Rio Grande valley and the Jemez Mountains on the far horizon.
What time is sunset in Santa Fe tonight?
Santa Fe sunset ranges from around 4:55 PM in December to 8:25 PM in June. Tonight's exact time is shown in the score card above, updated daily from live weather data.


What makes a good sunset?

GoldCast scores six atmospheric variables weighted by how much each one actually affects the light. A clear sky isn't always best.

High Cloud
20–80%
Cirrus clouds scatter warm light across the sky. Too little means a bare sky. Too much blocks everything.
Humidity
Under 50%
Low humidity keeps colors vivid and punchy. Above 80% produces milky, washed-out tones.
Horizon Cloud
Clear
Low cloud at the horizon blocks the sun at peak warmth. A small gap makes all the difference.
Post-Storm
Best skies
Rain clears the air and leaves textured cloud at altitude. Often the most dramatic light of the year.

Score guide
75–100
Epic
Rare. Multiple factors aligned. Don't miss it.
55–74
Great
Strong showing expected. Go if you can.
35–54
Decent
Modest but workable. Worth a short trip.
0–34
Flat
Uninspiring sky expected. Save your time.

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