USA: Daylight Savings 2011 - when to Set Clocks: Spring Ahead, Fall Back Date; Seasons' First Days

Spring ahead March 13, 2011. Daylight Savings Time^† (DST) begins on the second Sunday in March at 2:00 am local time in the U.S., which in 2011 is March 13. Turn clocks ahead by one hour, ideally at bedtime on the Saturday night before. Manually adjust any timepieces and timekeeping technological devices that do not automatically adjust.

The purpose of DST-also known as Summer Time-is to extend daylight by an hour in the afternoons during spring, summer, and much of the fall. To learn about the rationale behind this concept, click here.

Fall back November 6, 2011. The return to Standard Time (ST) begins at 2:00 am local time in the U.S. on the first Sunday in November, which in 2011 is November 6. Turn clocks back by one hour, ideally at bedtime on the Saturday night before. Manually adjust any timepieces and timekeeping technological devices that do not automatically adjust.

While Indiana observes DST (since 2006), the state remains divided in telling time-eighty of its ninety-two counties use Eastern Time while the other twelve use Central Time. These numbers have fluctuated during the last few years as counties have opted to switch time zones.

U.S. States that use ST year-round are Arizona (except for Navajo Nation) and Hawaii, as are the U.S. territories Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

To check the time anywhere in the world, visit Google's Time Zone or Time and Date's World Clock.

The First Days of Each Season in 2011.

Spring begins March 20. The exact time is 7:21 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Summer begins June 21. The exact time is 1:16 pm EDT.

Fall begins September 23. The exact time is 5:04 am EDT.

Winter begins December 22. The exact time is 12:30 am Eastern Standard Time (EST)

^{† The term Daylight Savings Time (Savings with an 's') is commonly used by broadcast media and the general public in countries such as the USA, Canada, and Australia even though the term 'Daylight Saving Time' is deemed as correct-because we are 'saving' daylight. Yet saving daylight is a savings and is not unlike the usage of 'savings' in a bank savings account.}

^{For 2010 information, CLICK HERE.}

^{Sources: Spring; Summer; Fall; Winter}