As daylight saving time concludes this weekend, many are wondering about the immediate impact on their day-to-day lives, particularly, “What Time Will It Get Dark Today?” The annual tradition of “falling back” means we’re about to experience earlier sunsets, and here’s what you need to know.
Daylight saving time officially ends on Sunday, November 3rd. Before you go to sleep on Saturday, remember to set your clocks back by one hour. This shift occurs at 2 a.m. local time on Sunday. While discussions about permanently abolishing daylight saving time have been ongoing for years, the biannual clock change remains in effect for most of us.
Sunset and Sunrise in Brevard County After Daylight Saving Time
Prepare for your days to feel a little shorter as both sunrise and sunset times shift earlier. In Brevard County, you can expect sunrise to occur around 6:36 a.m.. Correspondingly, sunset will occur around 5:36 p.m. initially and will continue to get earlier in the following weeks.
The earliest sunset of the year in Brevard County will be at 5:26 p.m., starting around November 21st. This early sunset time will persist until approximately December 9th, after which sunset times will gradually begin to occur later each day. Daylight saving time is scheduled to resume on March 9th, 2025.
The Rationale Behind Daylight Saving Time
The concept of daylight saving time has been a topic of debate, but its origins are rooted in energy conservation. The Uniform Time Act, signed into law in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, standardized daylight saving time across the nation. The fundamental idea was that by extending daylight hours into the evening, people would require less artificial lighting in their homes, thereby conserving energy.
Efforts to permanently eliminate daylight saving time haven’t been successful at the federal level. The Sunshine Protection Act, aimed at making daylight saving time permanent year-round, has been introduced in Congress multiple times (in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023). However, these bills have not yet been passed by the House of Representatives and enacted into law.
Automatic Updates for Your Devices
Most modern devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers, are programmed to automatically adjust to the time change associated with daylight saving time. You can generally rely on these devices to update correctly. However, it’s still a good practice to manually change the time on analog clocks or appliances like microwaves, ovens, and bedside alarm clocks before going to bed on Saturday night to ensure accuracy.
States and Territories Exempt from Daylight Saving Time
If you prefer not to participate in the twice-yearly clock changes, moving to certain locations in the United States would offer a solution. Hawaii and Arizona are the only two states that have abolished daylight saving time. Additionally, five U.S. territories do not observe daylight saving time: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
As daylight saving time ends, understanding “what time will it get dark today” simply means acknowledging the seasonal shift towards earlier sunsets and adjusting our schedules accordingly.
