Congress Avenue Bridge

Bat Bridge Sunset

Thursday, February 12 in Austin. Plan your arrival around sunset for the best chance to catch the emergence stream.

Season StatusDormant

November through February is typically dormant. Many bats migrate, so emergence can be sparse or absent.

Tonight Window Passed

21Hours

07Minutes

31Seconds

Tonight's target: 6:37 PM

Next estimate is tomorrow evening. Arrive early for easier parking and better bridge spots.

Sunset

6:16 PM

Emergence Estimate

6:36 PM

Best Arrival

6:06 PM

Tips For Tonight

Arrive 30 minutes early

Parking and sidewalks fill quickly near sunset, especially on warm weekends and festival nights.

Expect a rolling emergence

The first wave can start around 20 minutes after sunset, then intensify for 30-60 minutes.

Weather changes visibility

Clear and calm nights usually produce the longest visible stream. Cloud cover can hide the flight path.

Bring water and bug spray

Evening humidity is high around the lake. Lightweight layers and mosquito protection make it easier to stay.

Bat Facts

Estimated colony size: ~1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats in peak season
Scale: One of the largest urban bat colonies in North America
Nightly impact: Consumes tons of insects through the warm season
Migration pattern: Most bats migrate south from late fall through winter

7-Day Emergence Outlook

Sunset and emergence times are astronomical calculations for Austin. Visibility is a modeled cloud estimate.

Estimated conditions

Thu

Feb 12

Today

Sunset: 6:16 PM
Emergence: 6:36 PM
Arrive by: 6:06 PM

Partly Cloudy Visibility: Good

Cloud cover estimate: 52%

Fri

Feb 13

Sunset: 6:17 PM
Emergence: 6:37 PM
Arrive by: 6:07 PM

Clear Visibility: Excellent

Cloud cover estimate: 29%

Sat

Feb 14

Sunset: 6:18 PM
Emergence: 6:38 PM
Arrive by: 6:08 PM

Clear Visibility: Excellent

Cloud cover estimate: 11%

Sun

Feb 15

Sunset: 6:18 PM
Emergence: 6:38 PM
Arrive by: 6:08 PM

Clear Visibility: Excellent

Cloud cover estimate: 2%

Mon

Feb 16

Sunset: 6:19 PM
Emergence: 6:39 PM
Arrive by: 6:09 PM

Clear Visibility: Excellent

Cloud cover estimate: 5%

Tue

Feb 17

Sunset: 6:20 PM
Emergence: 6:40 PM
Arrive by: 6:10 PM

Clear Visibility: Excellent

Cloud cover estimate: 18%

Wed

Feb 18

Sunset: 6:21 PM
Emergence: 6:41 PM
Arrive by: 6:11 PM

Partly Cloudy Visibility: Good

Cloud cover estimate: 37%