Why does the time change twice a year, and when will we "fall back" to daylight saving time in 2024?

On Sunday, November 3, 2024, clocks throughout the majority of the United States will "fall back" by one hour due to the end of daylight saving time. Discover why we switch our clocks twice a year and what you need to know about daylight saving time.

When does daylight saving time start?

 
March 10 of this year saw the start of daylight saving time, which caused us to move our clocks ahead by one hour. On November 3, when clocks are reverted by one hour, daylight saving time ends.

At two in the morning local time, the transition takes place.

Your digital clocks, such as the one on your phone, will thus return to 1 a.m. on November 3 at 1:59:59 a.m. instead of jumping to 2 a.m. Analog clocks and clocks that don't adjust themselves will need to be reset.

In contrast to the springtime shift to daylight saving time, which causes us to lose an hour of sleep, this means we will gain an hour. The sun will rise one hour earlier in the morning and set an hour earlier in the evening as a result.

For instance, the sun will set at 5:50 p.m. on November 2 in New York City, but it will set at 4:49 p.m. on November 3, the day after daylight saving time ends.

The background of daylight saving time

 
The U.S. Astronomical Application Department, a division of the U.S. Naval Observatory, states that the Standard Time Act of 1918, which also instituted daylight savings, created time zones in the United States. Daylight saving time was so divisive that it was repealed in 1919, reinstituted during World War II, and then adopted by states and municipalities.

Although the start and finish dates have altered over time, it was once again made a federal regulation by the Uniform Time Act of 1966. In the United States, daylight saving time has been observed since 2007 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

Ben Franklin is frequently credited with coming up with the idea of changing the clocks to depend more on sunlight, although The Franklin Institute contests this, claiming that he only recommended that people in Paris alter their sleep cycles in order to save money on candles and lamp oil.

George Hudson, an entomologist from New Zealand, is credited by the institution with coming up with the concept in 1895 because he desired more evening light.

But according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, British builder William Willett came up with the concept. They say Willett wanted more daylight so he could play more golf, whereas Hudson wanted more daylight to hunt insects.

In which states is daylight saving time not observed?

 
Hawaii and the majority of Arizona choose to maintain regular time instead of switching to daylight saving time.

Though not all of them adhere to the same timetable, most nations in North America and Europe observe daylight saving time. Many Southern Hemisphere nations also do this, but their summers fall during our winters, therefore their schedules differ. 

Will the custom of adjusting clocks to observe daylight saving time ever come to an end?

 
The Sunshine Protection Act, a law that would permanently implement daylight saving time, was approved by the Senate in 2022. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who has long maintained that we should maintain daylight saving time throughout the year and cease "falling back" in November, was one of the 17 bipartisan cosponsors of the bill.

"This twice-yearly time-changing routine is pointless. There is broad, bipartisan support for locking the clock. Rubio, a Republican, said in a statement, "I hope that we can finally get this done this Congress."

Similar legislation was submitted in the House by Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, who claimed that there were "enormous health and economic benefits to making daylight saving time permanent."

The House measure was referred to the Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, but time ran out on it in 2023.