Daylight saving time 2026: Here’s when to ‘spring ahead’
The winter solstice has already come and gone, marking the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and signaling that daylight will now slowly start increasing each day.
Twice a year, people across the country reset their clocks — first "springing ahead" to enjoy extra daylight in the warmer months, then "falling back" to standard time for winter.
But the weeks following the solstice can still feel dark, especially with earlier sunsets and shorter afternoons.
The good news?
The return of daylight saving time may soon offer some relief — a time change brining longer days and shorter nights.
If you're wondering when that happens, it may be worth marking your calendar.
In 2026, daylight saving time will begin Sunday, March 8 at 2 a.m., when clocks move forward one hour — jumping from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.
How the winter solstice factors into DST
In early November, clocks in most of the United States were set back one hour as DST ended, returning the country to standard time for the winter months.
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac , the purpose of clock changes is to make better use of natural daylight.
When clocks "fall back" to standard time, sometimes called " winter time ," it shifts sunrise earlier — meaning brighter mornings.
After the winter solstice on Dec. 21, daylight gradually increases each day, even if mornings still feel dim for a while.
Once DST begins again in March, sunrise and sunset will both occur about one hour later than the day before, giving most people more evening daylight.
Standard time only accounts for about 35% of the year, as DST lasts for 65% of the year at 238 days, according to National Institute of Standards and Technology .
In 2026, DST will end the earliest it can ever possibly end on Nov. 1, 2026.
But the reason for the earlier end isn't because of any major policy shift , but instead, simply because of how the calendar aligns.
Under current U.S. federal law , DST begins the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November every year.
More Business News
Read the original article on MassLive . Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
