Four in the afternoon is when the light starts being worth something in winter. From November to March the harshness goes out of the sun through this hour, the parks and beaches refill, and the difference between arriving at four and arriving at five is a full hour of usable outdoor time before sunset.
It is the children's activity hour across the residential communities — swimming, football, music, tutoring — all scheduled once school and the worst of the heat are behind, and all finishing before the evening meal.
In summer the same hour is still firmly indoors, with the temperature only beginning its slow retreat. A countdown to four o'clock in January and one in July are counting towards two entirely different afternoons. The count resets every twenty-four hours.
Common questions
Why is 4 pm significant in winter here?
Because the sun loses its harshness through that hour, and from November to March it marks the start of the usable outdoor part of the day.
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