When is summer time 2024? What this means for your watches.
When does daylight saving time start in 2024? Find out when we set the clocks back and forward again in the spring.
After a hot summer in Asheville, it feels like it’s finally starting to cool down.
As of 9:30 a.m. Monday, August 19, the National Weather Service predicts temperatures in the region won’t rise above 82 degrees this week, with lows of 50 degrees. While that’s not exactly cool, the gradual change may have you wondering: When will I have to worry about the time change again?
Whether you’re looking forward to the extra hour of sleep or dreading two seasons of early evenings, here’s everything you need to know about Daylight Saving Time in 2024.
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When is summer time 2024?
Daylight saving time ends annually at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. In 2024, we will return to standard time on November 3.
This means that at 2 a.m. local time, clocks must go back one hour to 1 a.m. While many devices, such as phones and computers, automatically change to standard time, you still need to remember to change the time on your non-smart devices: microwaves, analog clocks, some car radios, etc.
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When is the shortest day of 2024?
The shortest day of the year, the first day of winter and the winter solstice occur this year on Saturday, December 21st. The closer we get to this date, the later the sunrise will be and the earlier the sunset, and there will be fewer hours of daylight overall. The tilt of the Earth means that the Northern Hemisphere faces away from the Sun.
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What does daylight saving time mean?
Daylight saving time, also known by other names such as summer time, daylight saving time, and daylight saving time, means that we set the clocks forward one hour during the summer months and back one hour during the fall. “Spring forward, fall back” is a common expression to remember the pattern.
The annual end of daylight saving time brings more light in the morning and less in the evening – sunrise and sunset will be about an hour earlier on Sunday, November 3 than on Saturday, November 2.
Except for residents of Arizona, Hawaii and a few other areas, the end of Daylight Saving Time means an extra hour of sleep for Americans. It’s also meant to help the country adjust to more daylight in the morning in preparation for winter.
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How did daylight saving time come about?
The purpose of daylight saving time, according to the almanac, is to make the most of the natural daylight that exists during the summer months. Because the Earth revolves around the sun and is tilted on its axis, days are longer in parts of the planet during certain months.
In the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States, days are longer from March to November, with the longest days expected from June to August. In the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed: June to August are winter months and thus the shortest of the year.
The idea dates back to World War I, although some attribute the introduction of daylight saving time to Benjamin Franklin, who wrote a satirical letter in 1784 that stated: “Every morning, as soon as the sun rises, the bells should be rung in all churches. And if that is not enough, cannon should be fired in all the streets, as an effectual rousing of the idlers.”
Germany and Austria were the first to adopt daylight saving time in 1916 to maximize resources during wartime. The United States did the same in 1918. Today, some argue that daylight saving time is an outdated idea.
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Why is daylight saving time controversial?
The Council of State Governments published an article in March 2024 addressing the question of whether “keeping daylight saving time” is “worth it.” According to the article, there is ample evidence that a majority of Americans are in favor of ending the practice of “setting the clocks forward and back.”
A major drawback of the practice covered by the CSG was negative health effects – studies have linked these time changes to heart disease, obesity, strokes, mood swings, anxiety, and more.
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Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
