72% of Americans Oppose the Time Change Scheduled for Sunday

The United States will revert to standard time on Sunday, Nov. 1, as clocks fall back one hour. Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, the switch occurs when the time reaches 2 a.m., which then reads as 1 a.m. This adjustment shifts sunrise and sunset times earlier in the day.

In Florida, the change will alter daily light patterns. Sunrise times in much of the state will move from approximately 7:40 a.m. to 6:40 a.m. Sunset times will shift from roughly 6:40 p.m. to 5:40 p.m. These changes provide earlier morning light but shorter evenings.

The clock change does not affect weather. Seasons are determined by the tilt of the Earth, not by the time zone. Days will continue to lose more than one minute of daylight each day until the winter solstice arrives on Monday, Dec. 21. That date marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

The annual switch has reignited debate over whether the country should stop changing clocks twice a year. A recent Gallup poll found that 72% of Americans dislike the biannual time change. However, respondents are divided on the best alternative. About half support keeping standard time year-round, while only about a quarter favor permanent daylight saving time.

The core of the disagreement centers on when people prefer daylight. A move to permanent daylight saving time would result in the latest sunrise of the year occurring between 8:30 and 9 a.m. in late January. In contrast, permanent standard time would offer earlier mornings but later sunsets.

Florida lawmakers passed the Sunshine Protection Act in 2018. The law states the state's intent to adopt daylight saving time year-round once federal law permits it. Nearly two dozen states have passed similar measures to make daylight saving time permanent. However, Congress has not approved the necessary federal changes, so the current system remains in place.

The next time change is scheduled for March 14, 2027. On that date, clocks will jump ahead one hour to return to daylight saving time. Until then, residents will experience the shorter days associated with the winter months.