Spring is coming, as well as the change to daylight saving time in the United States. We explain which day to change the time.
The change to Daylight Saving Time in the United States, as well as the beginning of spring, is near. Twice a year, most Americans have to change the schedule of their clocks, in March and November.
The time change in March is close to the beginning of spring. That is why we explain what day you have to change the time and when winter ends to make way for the new season.
This day begins to spring in the United States
In 2023, the first official day of spring is Monday, March 20. This date marks the "spring equinox" in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, the March equinox occurs on March 20 at 5:24 p.m. ET. This marks the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the fall season in the Southern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox occurs when the Sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north. It is called the "celestial" equator because it is an imaginary line in the sky above the Earth's equator. After the spring equinox, the Northern Hemisphere begins to lean more toward the Sun, resulting in a greater number of daylight hours.
To take advantage of these daylight hours, Daylight Saving Time has been created. We explain when the time is changed.
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Change of summer time USA 2023: what day should the time be changed?
Daylight saving time in the United States begins each year on the second Sunday in March, before the onset of spring. This 2023 the change is made on Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 a.m. In daylight saving time it is necessary to advance one hour with respect to standard time. Daylight Saving Time ends on November 5.
Although the time change is made at 2:00 am on Sunday, clocks and analog devices can be advanced before going to sleep. On the other hand, most electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, and others, make the change automatically.
Daylight Saving Time allows you to make better use of natural light, since advancing the clocks one hour in spring gives more light during summer evenings, saving on energy consumption. However, this time change is not made throughout the country.
The only parts of the United States that do not have daylight saving time and therefore should not change their clocks are Hawaii and Arizona, except for the Navajo Nation area. Other U.S. territories in the Pacific and Caribbean Sea, such as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, are also not making the switch.