STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Tired of the dark, gloomy evenings of winter?
Well, New Yorkers, here’s some good news: It’s almost time to “spring forward,’’ and welcome longer, warmer days, as Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins in just a few weeks.
In 2022, we’ll be setting our clocks one hour ahead on Sunday, March 13, at 2 a.m., according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which governs the use of DST.
Well, most of our technologically advanced phones, watches, laptops and other devices will automatically adjust to the correct time, so most of us won’t actually have any “springing’’ to do.
But if you have a wall clock, bedside alarm clock or a mechanical watch with a crown, plan to get busy on March 13 at 2 a.m. and push the time ahead to 3 a.m. Many kitchen appliances will also need the nudge, as will clocks in cars, medical equipment and security alarm systems.
And fire officials advise us to check the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when we turn our clocks ahead each year.
DST, which allows us to make use of warmer weather of spring and summer with later daylight hours, takes place in most of the United States on the second Sunday of March each year.
When we change the clocks, we don’t really save or gain time.
Rather, we give up a little sun in the morning and add it to the evening, when most people are finished with work for the day. We also save a little electricity, it is thought, since we don’t have to turn on the lights as early.
More than 40 countries worldwide observe DST, including most of Canada, though the majority of Saskatchewan and parts of northeastern British Columbia don’t participate, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
According to our nation’s law, each state can choose whether or not to observe Daylight Saving Time. Currently, Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that do not observe, choosing to stay on standard time year-round.
Indiana didn’t observe DST until 2006. Prior to that, some counties within the state did, while others didn’t — causing a lot of confusion in a state that’s already split into two time zones, the Farmer’s Almanac said.
Also, the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands remain on standard time year-round.
Plan to “fall back” to Eastern Standard Time on Nov. 6 at 2 a.m. by setting your devices back to 1 a.m., giving you a little more light in the morning, but less sun in the evening.
