The biannual clock adjustment for most U.S. states is approaching soon.
WASHINGTON — In just one month, many clocks in the U.S. will “fall back” one hour as daylight saving time comes to an end for 2024 on November 3, the first Sunday of the month. At 2 a.m. on that day, clocks will be set back, allowing many people an extra hour of sleep.
This time change will result in earlier sunrises and darkness falling well before 7 p.m. The next adjustment to “spring forward” will not occur until March 2025.
Congress has frequently attempted to make daylight saving time permanent, aiming to eliminate the biannual clock changes, but these efforts typically fail to progress through the legislative process.
As little movement has been made on this front, Americans will continue to adhere to the routine of “falling back” in 2024 and “springing forward” in the following year.
When does daylight saving time conclude?
Daylight saving time will end in 2024 on Sunday, November 3, at 2 a.m.
Why was daylight saving time implemented?
The concept dates back to World War I when Germany introduced it to save energy by maximizing daylight hours. The United States first adopted daylight saving time with the Standard Time Act of 1918, initially as a wartime measure aimed at reducing energy costs. This act also established the five time zones that continue today.
In 1966, the Department of Transportation was formed and given oversight of time zones and daylight saving time. The Uniform Time Act of that year aimed to create a consistent nationwide daylight saving time, beginning from the last Sunday in April and lasting until the last Sunday in October.
Since then, there have been few changes, the most recent being an extension of daylight saving time by a few weeks in 2005 under former President George Bush. It is currently observed from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November.
Despite this national practice, Arizona and Hawaii do not participate in daylight saving time. Federal law allows states to opt out of daylight saving time but prohibits them from remaining on daylight time indefinitely.