Time is ticking for you to set your clocks back.
Daylight saving time will soon come to an end in November, unless Congress passes legislation that would make the clock-turning practice permanent.
Under current law, most Americans lose an hour of sleep when clocks spring forward in March and gain an hour when clocks fall back in November. But what happens if lawmakers make daylight saving time permanent?
Here's what to know about the end of daylight saving time in 2026.
When does daylight saving time end in 2026? When do clocks fall back?
Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. In 2026, that date falls on Nov. 1, the earliest possible date for the annual time change.
What is daylight saving time? Why do we gain an hour in November?
We gain an hour in November to accommodate for more daylight in the mornings. When we "spring forward" in March, it's to add
more daylight in the summer evenings.
When did daylight saving time start in the U.S.? Why was it created?
Daylight saving time was introduced in the United States in 1918 with the Standard Time Act, which was meant to lower fuel costs during the World War I. The law also established a standard time and allowed the federal government to create five time zones.
The rules governing daylight saving time have changed several times. However, the dates we use to observe daylight saving time today – starting on the second Sunday of March and ending on the first Sunday of November – took effect in 2007 under the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, according to Time and Date.
Is Congress changing daylight saving time?
The House of Representatives voted in July to approve the Sunshine Protection Act, legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide, ending the biannual clock changes observed in most states.
The measure passed through a bipartisan 308-117 vote and was sent to the Senate. However, the Senate has yet to vote on the bill, so no change has been enacted into law. As a result, clocks are still scheduled to be turned back on Nov. 1.
Does every state have daylight saving time?
Hawaii and parts of Arizona do not participate in daylight saving time. The Navajo Nation, which spans parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, does observe daylight saving time, making it the only area in Arizona that does.
The territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not observe daylight saving time.
Is it daylight savings time or daylight saving time?
While many people say "daylight savings time," the correct term is "daylight saving time."
Is daylight saving time ending permanently?
Not yet. Until the Senate votes on the bill, no change will be enacted into law. Therefore, most states will continue to turn clocks back on Nov. 1.
What would permanent daylight saving time mean for Ohio?
Permanent daylight saving time would have little effect during summer because Ohio already observes daylight saving time from March through November. The biggest change would come in winter, when both sunrise and sunset would shift one hour later.
When does daylight saving time start in 2027?
Unless Congress changes the law, daylight saving time will begin again on Sunday, March 14, 2027, when clocks move forward one hour.
Contributing: Victoria E. Freile, New York Connect Team; Alex Perry and Chad Murphy, Ohio Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Do clocks fall back this weekend? When daylight saving ends in 2026
