(NEXSTAR) – In just under a month, we’ll advance our clocks by one hour on the earliest date possible as daylight saving time kicks in.
This shift will bring later sunsets, gradually alleviating the winter gloom we’ve been enduring (though it will mean darker mornings temporarily). We’ll enjoy these extended evenings until November rolls around again.
But imagine if we didn’t adjust the clocks and daylight saving time was never implemented in March.
For a glimpse of this scenario, consider Hawaii and most of Arizona, the two places in the U.S. that won’t be resetting their clocks on March 8. Several other states are also contemplating legislation to permanently maintain standard time.
With the penny phased out, is it time to consider stockpiling nickels?
Let’s say you live in St. Louis, and starting next month, the state of Missouri decides to observe permanent standard time like Hawaii and most of Arizona. (Some of the bills already introduced in Missouri this year would do just this.) On Saturday, March 7, the sun will rise around 6:24 a.m. and set at 6 p.m. Then, when daylight saving time starts on Sunday, March 8, sunrise will be at 7:22 a.m., while sunset will shift to 7:01 p.m.
Sunrise (and sunset) times are about to change drastically as daylight saving time kicks in. But what if our clocks didn’t change? (Anne Warfield / 500px via Getty) Sunrises will inch earlier and sunsets will shift later until mid-to-late June before reversing course into late fall. In St. Louis, the earliest summer sunrise will be 5:36 a.m., while the latest sunset will peak at around 8:30 p.m.
Now, let’s say we did not jump forward an hour on March 8.
In St. Louis, the sun would rise as early as 4:36 a.m., with the latest sunset being around 7:30 p.m.
The table below shows the earliest sunrises and latest sunsets across multiple U.S. cities while we observe daylight saving time, as well as what those times would be if we did not change our clocks in March.
City Earliest sunrise/latest sunset in summer Earliest sunrise/latest sunset on permanent ST
Austin
6:29 a.m./8:37 p.m.
5:29 a.m./7:37 p.m.
Charlotte, NC
6:08 a.m./8:42 p.m.
5:08 a.m./7:42 p.m.
Chicago
5:15 a.m./8:30 p.m.
4:15 a.m./7:30 p.m.
Cleveland, OH
5:52 a.m./9:04 p.m.
4:52 a.m./8:04 p.m.
Denver
5:31 a.m./8:32 p.m.
4:31 a.m./7:32 p.m.
Grand Rapids
6:03 a.m./9:26 p.m.
5:03 a.m./8:26 p.m.
Green Bay
5:07 a.m./8:41 p.m.
4:07 a.m./7:41 p.m.
Indianapolis
6:16 a.m./9:17 p.m.
5:16 a.m./8:17 p.m.
Juneau, Alaska
4:20 a.m./11:43 p.m.
3:20 a.m./10:43 p.m.
Las Vegas
5:23 a.m./8:02 p.m.
4:23 a.m./7:02 p.m.
Los Angeles
5:41 a.m./8:08 p.m.
4:41 a.m./7:08 p.m.
Nashville
5:29 a.m./8:08 p.m.
4:29 a.m./7:08 p.m.
New Haven
5:18 a.m./8:29 p.m.
4:18 a.m./7:29 p.m.
New Orleans
5:59 a.m./8:05 p.m.
4:59 a.m./7:05 p.m.
New York City
5:24 a.m./8:31 p.m.
4:24 a.m./7:31 p.m.
Portland, Oregon
5:21 a.m./9:04 p.m.
4:21 a.m./8:04 p.m.
Salt Lake City
5:56 a.m./9:03 p.m.
4:56 a.m./8:03 p.m.
St. Louis
5:36 a.m./8:29 p.m.
4:36 a.m./7:29 p.m.
Tampa
6:33 a.m./8:30 p.m.
5:33 a.m./7:30 p.m.
District of Columbia
5:42 a.m./8:38 p.m.
4:42 a.m./7:38 p.m.
All times local
In St. Louis and other parts of the country that have faced earlier sunsets during winter, there may be some relief in daylight saving time kicking in next month.
However, the earlier sunrises associated with permanent standard time are likely what your body prefers. Experts say that getting enough sunlight exposure in the morning is crucial for our melatonin system. The extra morning daylight could also give you more time to work out or run errands during the cooler morning hours of a summer day (this was a major deciding factor for Arizona when it opted to “lock the clocks”).
Plus, it may be easier for you (and your children) to sleep through the morning sunshine than to fall asleep while it’s still light out.
Let’s say daylight saving time became the permanent time in Missouri (legislation to do that also exists). Summer in St. Louis would feel the same as it does now, but winters would feel much different.
Keeping St. Louis as the example, the sun will rise at 7:26 a.m. and set at 6:02 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. After daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, the sun will rise at 6:28 a.m. and set at 5 p.m. Until early January, the sun will rise later and later, peaking around 7:19 a.m. The sunset will creep earlier, reaching 4:39 p.m. in December before going the other direction.
If the clocks did not fall back an hour in St. Louis, the latest sunrise during winter would be 8:19 a.m., while the earliest sunset would be 5:39 p.m.
The table below shows the latest sunrises and earliest sunsets multiple U.S. cities will experience in fall, when daylight saving time ends, and what those times would look like on permanent daylight saving time.
City Latest sunrise/earliest sunset when DST ends Latest sunrise/earliest sunset with permanent DST
Austin
7:28 a.m./5:30 p.m.
8:28 a.m./6:30 p.m.
Charlotte, NC
7:32 a.m./5:11 p.m.
8:32 a.m./6:11 p.m.
Chicago
7:18 a.m./4:19 p.m.
8:18 a.m./5:19 p.m.
Cleveland, OH
7:53 a.m./4:57 p.m.
8:53 a.m./5:57 p.m.
Denver
7:21 a.m./4:35 p.m.
8:21 a.m./5:35 p.m.
Grand Rapids
8:14 a.m./5:08 p.m.
9:14 a.m./6:08 p.m.
Green Bay
7:29 a.m./4:12 p.m.
8:29 a.m./5:12 p.m.
Indianapolis
8:06 a.m./5:20 p.m.
9:06 a.m./6:20 p.m.
Juneau, AK
10:16 a.m./3:40 p.m.
11:16 a.m./4:40 p.m.
Las Vegas
6:52 a.m./4:26 p.m.
7:52 a.m./5:26 p.m.
Los Angeles
6:59 a.m./4:43 p.m.
7:59 a.m./5:43 p.m.
Nashville
6:58 a.m./4:32 p.m.
7:58 a.m./5:32 p.m.
New Haven
7:18 a.m./4:22 p.m.
8:18 p.m./5:22 p.m.
New Orleans
6:57 a.m./5:00 p.m.
7:57 a.m./6:00 p.m.
New York City
7:20 a.m./4:28 p.m.
8:20 a.m./5:28 p.m.
Portland, OR
7:51 a.m./4:27 p.m.
8:51 a.m./5:27 p.m.
Salt Lake City
7:52 a.m./5:00 p.m.
8:52 a.m./6:00 p.m.
St. Louis
7:19 a.m./4:39 p.m.
8:19 a.m./5:39 p.m.
Tampa
7:22 a.m./5:34 p.m.
8:22 a.m./6:34 p.m.
District of Columbia
7:27 a.m./4:46 p.m.
8:27 a.m./5:46 p.m.
All local times
The research – and history – are stacked against permanent daylight saving time, however. The U.S. tried the practice multiple times in the 1900s, only to quickly transition out of it.
Nonetheless, federal efforts and legislation in many states have pushed for its return. Last year, Maine and Texas became the latest states to enact legislation to make daylight saving time permanent within their boundaries, should Congress allow them to do so.
Without action by Congress, however, all clocks in the U.S. (except in Hawaii and Arizona) will spring forward on March 8 and fall back an hour on November 1.
