Falling back: Daylight Saving Time comes to an end Sunday, November 3

The United States returns to Standard Time at 2:00am Sunday as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end.
The United States returns to Standard Time at 2:00am Sunday as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end.

The biannual ritual of changing our clocks to adjust for Daylight Saving Time occurs this weekend, providing yet another signal of the changing of seasons.  The United States will ‘fall back’ one hour at 2:00am Sunday morning as we return to Standard Time.

The ritual of changing our clocks twice a year can be met with some resistance as some people struggle to adjust their body’s internal clock.  Others actually like the return to standard time as they get to enjoy an extra hour of sleep.

The time change definitely has big effects on the dawning of daylight and how early it gets dark in the evening.

Sunrise on Saturday occurs at 7:29am but on Sunday it will be at 6:30am. Similarly, sunset will occur at 5:56pm on Saturday but on Sunday the sun will disappear over the horizon at 4:55pm.

For many this means that when they get home from work it will now be dark and outdoor activities will be significantly curtailed as a result.

Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time and remain on Standard Time year round.    The U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands also do not observe the event.

It won’t be all that long though before Daylight Saving Time returns.  On March 8, 2020 we will ‘spring forward.’

Daylight Saving Time Schedule

The mandated beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time has changed in the United States over the years.

The most recent schedule was set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and took effect in 2007.  We now ‘spring forward’ to begin Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday in March and ‘fall back’ with the return to Standard Time on the first Sunday in November.

Daylight Savings Time Dates

Year DST Begins 2 a.m.
(Second Sunday in March)
DST Ends 2 a.m.
(First Sunday in November)
2019 10 March 2019 3 November 2019
2020 8 March 2020 1 November 2020
2021 14 March 2021 7 November 2021
2022 13 March 2022 6 November 2022
2023 12 March 2023 5 November 2023
2024 10 March 2024 3 November 2024
2025 9 March 2025 2 November 2025

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