<\/p>\n
Texans will need to turn clocks on their non-smart devices forward one hour on March 8, 2026.<\/p>\n
Sina Schuldt\/Picture Alliance via Getty Images<\/p>\n
While the groundhog predicted\u00a0six more weeks of winter<\/a>, Central Texas didn\u2019t seem to get the memo. An unseasonably warm February<\/a> made the first day of spring<\/a> a bit anticlimactic\u00a0\u2014 dare we say, anti-climate-ic?<\/p>\n We have the weather and calendar dates for spring, so that leaves the beginning of daylight saving time.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Here’s why the practice exists, and when you’ll need to change your clocks.<\/p>\n When does the time change 2026? Daylight saving time starts Sunday<\/p>\n Daylight saving time begins on Sunday, March 8. In the early hours, time will jump forward by one hour from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. This marks the shift to local Daylight Saving Time (DST).<\/p>\n Many devices, such as phones and computers, will automatically change to DST, but non-smart devices, such as microwaves and some car radios, as well as any clock with hands, will likely need to be changed manually.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n When does daylight saving time end?<\/p>\n The end of daylight saving time on Nov. 1 means there will be more light in the morning and it will get dark earlier in the evening. Sunrise and sunset will be about one hour earlier on Sunday, Nov. 1, than they were on Saturday, Oct. 31.<\/p>\n For most Americans,\u00a0except those in Arizona, Hawaii and a handful of other places<\/a>, the end of daylight saving time means an extra hour of sleep on Nov. 1. It also helps the country accommodate more daylight in the mornings in preparation for winter.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n First day of spring 2026 precedes ‘spring forward’ time change<\/p>\n Astronomically, winter ends with the first day of spring on March 20, 2026. Also known as the spring equinox, this date can vary by year between March 19 and March 21.<\/p>\n However, a meteorologist may tell you the first day of spring is actually March 1\u00a0\u2014 a date that stays consistent from year to year. While astronomical seasons are measured by Earth\u2019s position in relation to the sun, meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle. Both versions still have four seasons lasting roughly three months each.<\/p>\n Read more:\u00a0Central Texas kicks off March weather\u00a0\u2014 here\u2019s what to know about meteorological spring<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Here are the astronomical and meteorological dates for 2026:<\/p>\n Season2026 astronomical dates2026 meteorological datesSpringMarch 20March 1SummerJune 21June 1FallSeptember 22September 1WinterDecember 21December 1<\/p>\n Is daylight saving time going away? What Trump, Texas lawmakers say<\/p>\n The debate over daylight saving time has increasingly played out in Congress and state legislatures, including in Texas.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the\u00a0Sunshine Protection Act<\/a>, which would make daylight saving time permanent; however, the U.S. House of Representatives did not pass it and President Joe Biden did not sign it.<\/p>\n In December 2024, then-President-elect Donald Trump said he aims to put an end to daylight saving time and make standard time year-round. He renewed this commitment in April 2025.<\/p>\n \u201cThe House and Senate should push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social<\/a>. \u201cVery popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!\u201d<\/p>\n Opponents of the proposed legislation, like Sen.\u00a0Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), believe it would have overall negative consequences.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIf permanent daylight savings time becomes the law of the land, it will again make winter a dark and dismal time for millions of Americans,\u201d Cotton argued<\/a> on Oct. 28, 2025. He added it would mean \u201cdepriving Americans of morning sunshine that\u2019s essential for our safety and well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sunshine Protection Act was debated in Congress again in 2025 and once again stalled in the House. Until legislation is passed in both the House and Senate and signed by the president, the majority of the U.S. will continue to have time changes.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott hold hands during a round table event at the Hill Country Youth Event Center to discuss flash flooding on July 11, 2025 in Kerrville.<\/p>\n Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images<\/p>\n There has also been debate for years among Texans and state legislators about whether the Lone Star State should adopt daylight saving time permanently. House Bill 1393<\/a>, also known as \u201cTexas Time,\u201d could bring an end to that discussion.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The \u201cTexas Time\u201d bill aims to eliminate biannual clock changes and keep Texas on daylight saving time year-round. Gov. Greg Abbott\u00a0signed the bill on June 20; however, it can\u2019t take effect unless Congress changes federal law to allow states to adopt daylight saving time permanently.<\/p>\n Supporters argue that maintaining a consistent time year-round would reduce confusion, improve safety and enhance productivity.<\/p>\n Cotton and others who oppose permanent daylight saving time cite health and safety concerns, often arguing that maintaining standard time year-round would be preferable.<\/p>\n How did daylight saving time start? 108 years of US law<\/p>\n Daylight saving time (DST) claims a variety of other names: daylight\u00a0savings\u00a0time, daylight time, summer time (not to be confused with\u00a0summertime). It refers to the practice of setting clocks forward by one hour during the warmer months of the year and then setting them back one hour in the fall.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n One way to remember the pattern: \u201cspring\u00a0forward,\u00a0fall\u00a0back.\u201d<\/p>\n The idea dates back to World War I, although some credit Benjamin Franklin for daylight saving time due to a satirical letter he wrote in 1784 stating: \u201cEvery morning, as soon as the sun rises, let all the bells in every church be set ringing: and if that is not sufficient, let cannon be fired in every street to wake the sluggards effectually.\u201d<\/p>\n To maximize resources for the war, Germany and Austria implemented the first daylight saving time in 1916. The U.S. did the same in 1918.\u00a0An outdated idea, some argue.<\/p>\n The general idea of daylight saving time is to maximize the use of natural daylight,\u00a0according to the Almanac. This always occurs around the summer months. As the earth moves around the sun and is tilted on its axis, certain parts of the world experience longer days during certain months. For those in the northern hemisphere, like the U.S., these longer days run from March to November, with June to August seeing the longest days.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n For those in the southern hemisphere,\u00a0such as Australia, the seasons are reversed: June through August mark winter months and are, therefore, the shortest of the year.<\/p>\n When is the longest day of the year in 2026? The shortest?<\/p>\n The longest day of 2026, also known as the\u00a0summer solstice, is\u00a0Sunday, June 21. Central Texas will get around\u00a014 hours<\/a>\u00a0of daylight.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n On the flip side, 2026’s winter solstice\u00a0\u2014 the shortest day of the year\u00a0\u2014 is\u00a0Monday, Dec. 21. Austin will see just over\u00a010 hours<\/a>\u00a0of daylight.<\/p>\n The Earth is tilted approximately\u00a023.5 degrees<\/a>\u00a0on its axis, and each solstice is dictated by the amount of solar declination, or \u201cthe\u00a0latitude\u00a0of\u00a0Earth\u00a0where the\u00a0sun\u00a0is directly overhead at noon<\/a>,\u201d according to National Geographic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Texans will need to turn clocks on their non-smart devices forward one hour on March 8, 2026. 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