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Daylight Saving Time Begins Sunday

Once again it’s that “time” of the year again.

Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 12, 2023, at 2 a.m. This means we get to “spring forward” and turn our clocks ahead one hour. We will also now use EDT or CDT to denote the time zone for meetings and events for both Eastern and Central zones. Below are a few fun facts about the twice-yearly time change and remember to set your clocks ahead an hour!

  • It is “daylight saving time” (singular), not “daylight savings time” (plural). The technical explanation is that the word “saving” is singular because it acts as part of an adjective rather than a verb.
  • The Uniform Time Act of 1966 established the system of uniform daylight saving time throughout the United States, allowing states to exempt themselves from participation.
  • In 2005, Indiana passed a law agreeing to observe daylight saving time.
  • The idea of daylight saving was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin in 1784—and he was half joking when he suggested it.
  • On March 19, 1918, the Standard Time Act established time zones and daylight saving. Daylight saving is repealed in 1919 but continues to be recognized in certain areas of the United States.
  • Daylight saving time did not come up again until after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the United States was once again at war.
  • In 1974, Congress extends daylight saving time to save energy during the energy crisis.
  • Approximately 70 countries around the world observe daylight saving time.
  • Some countries refer to daylight saving time in the autumn as “fall back” and “winter time.”
  • Daylight saving time happens at different times in different countries.
  • Neither China nor Japan observe daylight saving time.
  • Arizona and Hawaii are the only U.S. states that do not observe daylight saving time.
  • Our neighbor Canada is on daylight saving time except for portions of Saskatchewan and small pockets of British Columbia which remain on standard time year-round. Confusing, eh?
  • All U.S. insular territories with civilian government (Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) lie in the tropics and do not observe daylight saving time.