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Time to spring forward

By Staff | Mar 7, 2014

Despite Mother Nature’s continued reign of winter weather, this weekend marks the surge forward into Daylight Savings Time. Remember to set clocks forward one hour in the early morning hours of Sunday, Mar. 9.

It’s always a bit confusing whether that gives us one more hour of sleep, or do we lose that? I think we lose on this one. Either way, it’s all a bit boggling.

The whole concept of changing the time apparently began during World War I when the goal was to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power. The move to institute Daylight Savings was made first by Germany and Austria, but picked up by other countries around the globe.

The United States adopted the practice into law in 1918 but repealed it in 1919 because it was so unpopular. World War II saw it reinstated during War Time but had no federal law requiring it after that. Some states and even some cities practiced the change while others did not.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. beginning in 2007 making Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. to begin at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March and ending at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November when we “fall back.”

Whatever the reason, with the “spring forward” this weekend, we will see longer daylight hours next week. A sure sign of spring, let’s hope the heavens have sprinkled down enough snowfall for our area and we can move forward into everything spring, including flowers blooming, garden planning, outdoor walking and more. It’s been a long-time coming this year as we have been spoiled by such mild winters over the past few years.