Are you confused about the time change this year? You're not alone! The questions, "When does daylight savings time end?" and "When do we turn the clocks back in 2013?" are already being asked this weekend. Why? Because some countries observe Daylight Savings Time on different dates and turn their clocks back then. Case in point... the Herald Sun in Australia reported on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, that they're turning the clocks back tonight, or early Sunday morning! But not the United States. How's that for confusing?
Meanwhile, the Brisbane Times reported on Saturday, Oct. 5, that watch and clock maker Scott will have a real difficult time tonight turning all the clocks back in his shop. Scott is bracing himself for a busy weekend. Daylight saving begins in NSW on Sunday, when clocks will go forward one hour at 2 a.m.
"I'll have a tiresome Saturday and Sunday putting all my clocks forward." Scott says he dreads the first days of daylight saving. "That's when the phone calls start flooding in."
The United States has to wait a bit longer to turn their clocks back, and even then, not all states observe the Daylight Saving Time rule. Daylight Savings Time for most of the U.S. doesn't end until Sunday morning, Nov. 3, 2013 at 2 a.m.—or late Saturday night, Nov. 2 if you don't want to get up in the middle of the night and fool around with your clocks. Are you confused yet?
Is Daylight Saving Time a Holiday?
Americans think daylight saving time ends before Halloween, and that's where the confusion comes in. Over the years, daylight saving time has changed from before Halloween, to the first Sunday in November. In 2013, this happens on Nov. 3.
The date of Daylight Saving Time isn't technically one of the major holidays, but some people consider it one because it's the one day per year they get an extra hour of sleep! Any day you can sleep an hour longer is considered one of the major holidays. If that's not confusing enough, people worldwide have changed this man-made "holiday" into "Daylight Savings Time" when the actual term is "Daylight Saving Time."
"Spring Forward, Fall Back" in Providence, Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island does observe daylight saving time, and will "fall back" at 2 a.m. Sunday morning, November 3, 2013. Looking forward to spring after a hopefully mild winter, daylight saving time in R.I. will once again "spring forward" at 2 a.m. Sunday morning, March 9, 2014.
Federal and state government offices will turning their clocks back as will post offices, schools, stores, etc. Don't get left in the dark! Rhode Island will be observing daylight saving time 2013 by turning their clocks back on November 3, 2013, so set your alarm to go off then. If you want to make it easier on you like most Americans, turn the clocks back before you go to bed.
Sources: U.S. Naval Oceanography; Time and Date.com; Brisbane Times; Herald Sun
Photo Credit: When Does Daylight Savings Time End? Stock.xchng; saavem
