What you should know about daylight saving time and why it is different in Arizona
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Fall is upon us, and many Americans are looking forward to bright leaves, crisp fall air, and trips to pumpkin patches. However, Arizonans can do without one thing the rest of the country is grappling with: the end of Daylight Saving Time.
The official start of fall on September 22 signals the approaching end of daylight saving time, when most clocks go back an hour.
However, Arizona has its peculiarities. Here’s what you should know.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is when clocks are set forward or back an hour to make better use of daylight. This year it began on March 10 and ends on November 3.
In March, most Americans set their clocks forward an hour to gain more daylight in the evening. In November, they gain an extra hour by setting their clocks back to maximize daylight in the morning.
What is the origin of daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time originated during the world wars. Germany introduced it in 1916 during World War I. The United States soon followed, introducing it as a wartime measure in 1918. Although it was abolished the following year, it was reinstated in 1942 during World War II.
In 1966, the Uniform Time Act introduced nationwide standard time in the United States. However, Arizona and Hawaii decided to stick with standard time.
While in most parts of the United States it is argued that daylight saving time helps reduce energy costs, the situation in Arizona is completely different.
What makes Arizona different?
Most of Arizona observes standard time year-round, meaning the state does not change its clocks throughout the year.
Because of its desert climate, Arizona abolished daylight saving time in 1967. The reasoning was that an additional hour of daylight would increase energy consumption during the hottest months because people needed more cooling.
The Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona has adopted Daylight Saving Time, putting it one hour ahead of the rest of the state from March through October. The Hopi Tribe, which is geographically surrounded by the Navajo Nation, does not observe Daylight Saving Time, creating a unique time “doughnut” in the region.
Until November 3, Arizona is aligned with the Pacific Time Zone, sharing the same time as California, Washington, Nevada, and parts of Oregon and Idaho. Once the rest of the U.S. goes back an hour, Arizona will return to Mountain Standard Time, aligning with states like New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado.
Are we the only ones?
Hawaii, which has little variation in daylight time due to its proximity to the equator, is the only other state that observes standard time year-round. Five U.S. territories also observe standard time.
- American Samoa
- Guam
- The Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- The U.S. Virgin Islands
Although there have been efforts to standardize time in the United States, they have largely failed. In 2022, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Act, but it failed to pass in the House of Representatives. A 2023 version of the bill stalled in Congress.
Under the Sunshine Act, Arizona would have remained in the same time zone as California.
