Clocks will go back an hour later this month, bringing earlier sunsets, darker evenings and an extra hour of morning light.
With autumn now in full swing and Storm Amy battering Ireland and the UK this weekend, the signs of the changing season are becoming impossible to miss.
Mornings are crisp and fresh, evenings are drawing in ever sooner and temperatures are steadily beginning to drop.
Alongside the cooler weather, another seasonal shift is just around the corner – the end of daylight saving time. For many, this brings mixed feelings. On the plus side, we get an extra hour of sleep when the clocks go back – a welcome treat, especially as the mornings grow colder. But on the downside, earlier sunsets mean longer evenings indoors and darker commutes home.
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This year, the clocks in Northern Ireland will go back an hour on Sunday, October 26, marking the end of daylight saving time. The last adjustment was on Sunday, March 30, when the clocks moved forward by an hour.
According to timeanddate.com, by Sunday, October 26, the evenings will darken even earlier, with sunsets falling to 5.04pm – the day the clocks change.
Smartphones and smartwatches will update automatically on Sunday, October 26 at 2am, dropping back to 1am, but traditional clocks will need to be adjusted manually.
The practice of “falling back” was originally introduced to make better use of natural daylight. While mornings become brighter and grant us an extra hour of light, evenings inevitably become darker sooner, reshaping our routines as the season turns.
All EU member states adjust their clocks at this time, with Iceland the only exception, remaining on Western European Time year-round.
The European Union voted in 2019 to potentially end Daylight Saving Time altogether after 2021, following a survey showing most people would prefer not to switch clocks twice a year. However, the decision was delayed due to the Covid pandemic.
EU institutions have not made progress on implementing the decision, and the European Commission has said that it does not plan to submit a new proposal on the matter to the Parliament.
Looking ahead, clocks will go forward next year on Sunday, March 29, and back on Sunday, October 25 – continuing the familiar seasonal cycle.
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