Daylight saving time is ending: When to change your clocks

Get ready to turn back time this weekend.

The twice-a-year tradition of changing the time is here again, when daylight saving time ends this weekend at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 5.

That’s when it’s time to “fall back,” and regain one hour.

The good news is that many clocks on computers and phones change the time automatically, so there’s less for you to do.

But don’t forget about watches, microwaves — and cars — where you’ll have to change the time yourself.

And, of course, this is the time of year many recommend changing the batteries in your smoke detector.

Daylight saving time has been around for decades, with the goal of making the best use of daylight and conserving energy.

Infrequent uses of daylight-saving time occurred during World Wars I and II as part of efforts to save fuel, prompting President Franklin D. Roosevelt to refer to it as “War Time” during World War II.

In 1966, Congress formally set one pattern for daylight-saving time — under the Uniform Time Act of 1966. President Lyndon Johnson set daylight saving time to begin the last Sunday of April and to end the last Sunday of October.

In 2005, President George W. Bush signed a broad energy bill that extended daylight-saving time, starting it on the second Sunday in March and ending it on the first Sunday in November. Any state that didn’t want to participate could pass a law opting out of it.

Texas twist

Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers had before them a proposal to eliminate daylight saving time in Texas.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” said state Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, who filed the bill. “I see no reason to have it.”

Despite hearing from tens of thousands of Texans who supported getting rid of the long-time tradition, the bill quietly died in the Legislature.

If Texas had opted out of daylight saving time, it would have been one of only a few states to do so.

Among the areas that don’t participate: Hawaii, most of Arizona (the Indian reservations there do observe it) and U.S. territories such as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

For now, Texas and other states will be on standard time.

Until March 11, 2018.

Then, it will be time to change the clocks again.

This story was originally published November 1, 2017 at 11:11 AM with the headline "Daylight saving time is ending: When to change your clocks."