The bi-annual practice of changing clocks across much of the U.S. is always the source of debate when it rolls around in March and November.
Sunday marks the beginning of daylight saving time, when most across the U.S. spring forward, moving their clocks ahead by one hour.
This is a reminder that you will lose an hour of sleep on Saturday night, but in turn, gain later sunsets starting on Sunday.
Here’s what you need to know about daylight saving time and how to prepare yourself before it happens:
When is daylight saving time?
Clocks will officially go ahead by an hour at 2 a.m. Sunday.
If you use your smartphone as an alarm, there is no need to do anything, as the clocks will automatically adjust. But if you use an analog or digital clock not connected to Wi-Fi, you will need to set the clock one hour ahead before you go to bed.
WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME?
(FOX Weather)
Which states observe daylight saving time?
Everywhere in the U.S., except Hawaii and most of Arizona, observes the time change. To make matters more confusing, the Navajo Nation in Arizona does observe DST. Some U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, also do not observe the time change.
Legislation to make daylight saving time permanent has languished in Congress for years. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would make daylight saving time permanent and “end the twice-yearly time change,” in March and November.
The modern adoption of daylight saving time emerged out of the two World Wars, when clocks were adjusted to extend evening daylight in efforts to conserve fuel costs for lighting.
Here come the later sunsets
The largest known impact of daylight savings time comes with the sun now setting an hour later. It coincides with the time of the year when daylight is rapidly increasing as we pass the spring equinox.
In the northern tier of the country, places like Washington, Idaho, Montana and Minnesota gain more than an hour and a half of total daylight as the seasons change, meaning sunsets by the end of the month will be nearly two hours later than at the start.
(FOX Weather)
The New York and Chicago metro areas will see about 80 more minutes of total daylight gained in March, and with the daylight savings time adjustment, sunsets will be about 100 minutes later between the start and end of the month.
HOW PARENTS CAN PREPARE CHILDREN FOR DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME CHANGE