‘Fall back’ this weekend; future of daylight saving time uncertain

By TARA HASTINGS
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

It’s that time of year where we get to “fall back.”

It means an end to daylight saving time and a return to standard time. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday. Most people set their clocks back before they head to bed Saturday night.

The sun will rise Sunday at 7:19 a.m. and set at 5:37 p.m.

Now is also a good time to check batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Daylight saving time began in the United States back in 1918 in an effort to add more daylight to conserve energy costs during World War I. Throughout the next few decades, daylight saving time was used on and off. The clocks were even advanced two hours for a period of time, and daylight saving time was also used year round in the 1940s during World War II.

Eventually, the Uniform Time Act began in 1966 and set a specific timeframe of when daylight saving time began and ended.

Earlier in 2022, the Sunshine Protection Act was passed in the U.S. Senate, however it stalled in the U.S. House of Representatives. If this becomes law, it would make daylight saving time year-round beginning in 2023. However, no discussions have advanced the bill.

If daylight saving time were to become permanent, sunrise would be much later in the morning during the winter months. For example, on the winter solstice in Indianapolis, the sun wouldn’t rise until 9 a.m. and the sun would set until 6:24 p.m.