Most people continue to call it "daylight savings time," even though the correct phrase is actually "daylight saving time" (without the "s" at the end.) Whatever you call it, you must know when to spring forward and fall back every year. This article contains information about daylight saving time dates, clock change in 2011, and daylight savings time history.
Daylight Saving Time vs. Standard Time
Contrary to popular belief, the act of switching your clock an hour ahead or back is actually not "daylight savings time." Daylight saving time (DST) has a beginning and an end. The rest of the year, we are running on standard time (ST).
When Is Daylight Savings?
When the clocks move ahead one hour at 2:00 A.M. on the second Sunday in March, daylight saving time begins. Standard time resumes every year at 2:00 A.M. on the first Sunday in November when clocks move one hour back.
These new dates are still hard for many to get used to, since the passage of a 2007 law assigned different dates for DST change in the U.S. Before 2007, DST began in April and ended in October; the new law extends daylight saving time by practically two months.
Daylight Saving Time Dates
Under the current law, daylight saving time beginning and ending dates in the United States are:
- 2011: March 13 and November 6
- 2012: March 11 and November 4
- 2013: March 10 and November 3
- 2014: March 9 and November 2
- 2015: March 8 and November 1
Origin of Daylight Savings Time
Daylight saving time actually came into existence during World Wars I and II. The U.S. Congress created daylight saving time as a way to save American resources during wartime, reasoning that fewer waking hours of darkness would mean less domestic consumption of fuel and energy.
After gaining popularity for several years, the official dates on which daylight savings time begun and ended was eventually fixed by law in the U.S. Not all states have to participate in DST (and some don't,) but if they choose to participate the clock change must occur at the appointed day and time to avoid confusion.
Who Observes Daylight Saving Time?
While it's true that most of the United States does participate in fall daylight savings, a few states do not. Arizona and Hawaii don't observe DST, and neither do the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Indiana adopted DST in 2006.
Rules on DST also differ from country to country throughout the world. Every country decides if it observes DST at all, and it also assigns its own unique start and end dates. Tonga's DST goes from November to January, while Egypt's lasts from April to September. For more information, please refer to this list of countries that participate in DST.
"When is daylight savings?" is sometimes a hard question to answer, especially since daylight saving time dates changed in 2007. Remembering to spring forward and fall back each March and November simplifies clock changes a little, but it's always helpful to write the start and end dates of DST on your calendar - just in case.
Source:
California's Energy Commission
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) FAQ page
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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