The official start of fall is fast approaching, and with it comes a number of changes, including in terms of schedules.
The fall season begins this weekend, with the autumnal equinox set for Sunday, but the time change won’t happen right away.
Here’s what you need to know about the fall season and time change in the Chicago area:
When is the first day of autumn?
Fall officially begins at 7:44 a.m. CT on September 22, 2024.
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this is the date on which the astronomical event that marks the beginning of autumn occurs. In the Northern Hemisphere, the autumnal equinox occurs in September; in the Southern Hemisphere, it occurs in March.
When does daylight saving time end?
Currently, Illinois and several other states are on daylight saving time, which began in the spring. But that will soon end as clocks go back this season, giving residents a much-needed extra hour of sleep.
But when does this happen?
The federal government mandates the return to winter time on the first Sunday in November each year. In 2024, this will be on November 3.
What is daylight saving time?
Daylight saving time is a time change that typically begins in the spring and ends in the fall. Under the terms of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. On these days, clocks are set forward or back one hour.
Outside of daylight saving time, the time is called standard time.
Currently, Illinois is in a middle ground. “Daylight Saving Time” is when the clocks go back to daylight saving time, while “Back to Standard Time” is when the clocks go back to standard time.
According to the Time and Date website, standard time is the local time of a country or region when daylight saving time is not in use.
“More than 60% of the world’s countries use standard time year-round,” the site says. “The rest of the world uses daylight saving time during the summer months, typically setting their clocks forward one hour from standard time.”
Which states do not observe daylight saving time?
The annual time change will take place in Illinois and almost all U.S. states except two:
Arizona (although some Native American tribes observe daylight saving time in their territories) and Hawaii.
U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands also do not observe daylight saving time.
Which time is better: daylight saving time or standard time?
Previously, a bill aimed to introduce a permanent time change, but this proposal ultimately failed.
Yet sleep experts have long questioned the effectiveness of the time change.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has been advocating for a move to permanent standard time for several years.
“By misaligning the human body clock with the natural environment, time change increases risks to our physical health, mental well-being, and public safety,” said M. Adeel Rishi, MD, chair of the AASM Public Safety Committee and a pulmonary, sleep, and critical care physician at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis, in a statement. “Permanent standard time is the optimal choice for health and safety.”
Experts have cited a “growing body of evidence” in recent years.
“Permanent Standard Time synchronizes the body clock with sunrise and sunset,” said Dr. James A. Rowley, president of the AASM, in a statement. “This natural synchronization is optimal for healthy sleep, and sleep is essential for health, mood, performance and safety.”
It also mirrors similar positions from other organizations, including the National Sleep Foundation, which has said that “seasonal time changes disrupt sleep health and should be eliminated.”
Until what time will the sunset be?
You may have noticed: the days are getting shorter and the sun is setting earlier. Chicago already had its last sunset of the year at 7 p.m. on September 15.
On September 30, the sun will set at 6:32 p.m.
As daylight saving time approaches, sunsets will gradually occur earlier, with the sun finally setting at 4:41 p.m., when daylight saving time ends.
By the end of November, the sky will see sunset as early as 4:30 p.m.
What is the autumn equinox?
Also known as the autumnal equinox or September equinox, the fall equinox marks the halfway point between summer and winter, also known as fall.
As the Earth orbits the Sun, it does so at an angle.
For most of the year, the Earth’s axis is tilted toward or away from the Sun. This means that the Sun’s heat and light fall unevenly on the northern and southern halves of the planet.
When the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, it is called the summer solstice. This marks the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere and the first day of winter in the southern hemisphere.
One hundred and eighty days later, when the southern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, it is called the winter solstice. It is the first day of winter in the northern hemisphere and the first day of summer in the southern hemisphere.
The autumn and spring equinoxes are the midpoints between the solstices. The word equinox comes from two Latin words meaning equal and night. That’s because at the equinox, day and night are about the same amount of time, although you may get a few extra minutes, depending on where you are on the planet. That’s about 12 hours of daylight, followed by 12 hours of night.
