Daylight Saving Time 2026 Begins Soon: Key Details and Time Changes Daylight saving time, the annual time adjustment commonly referred to as "spring forward," is set to begin in 2026, with most Americans losing an hour of sleep when clocks shift ahead this weekend. The change will occur on Sunday, March 8, at 2 a.m. local time, marking the second Sunday of March as the official start date. This practice has followed the second Sunday of March since 2007, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory, which serves as the official timekeeping authority for the Defense Department. Daylight saving time works by advancing clocks by one hour, effectively shifting an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. For example, in Boston, sunrise on Saturday, March 7, will occur at 6:09 a.m., with sunset at 5:41 p.m. After the time change, sunrise on Sunday, March 8, will be at 7:08 a.m., and sunset will occur at 6:42 p.m. This adjustment aligns with the natural progression of daylight, though it occurs before the vernal equinox, which marks the start of spring on March 20. The start date of daylight saving time has varied over the years. From 1974 to 2006, the practice began on the first Sunday of April. Prior to 1987, the Uniform Time Act of 1966 established the last Sunday of April as the start date. During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress experimented with year-round daylight saving time, beginning on the first Sunday of January in 1974. However, this trial ended in October 1974, and the practice reverted to the last Sunday of February in 1975. Since 2007, the second Sunday of March has been the standard start date. When daylight saving time begins, most of the U.S. will lose an hour as clocks jump from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.#apple #us_naval_observatory #national_institute_of_standards_and_technology #google #samsung
