What Colorado would look like if we stayed on daylight saving time

On the first Sunday of November, the clocks will shift back an hour from the five months of of daylight saving time…but this isn’t what lawmakers in Colorado approved. Two years ago, the state passed legislation to stay on daylight saving time permanently. However, Colorado never switched to permanent daylight saving time because federal law doesn’t allow it. So, at least for the time being, Coloradans are stuck changing the clocks back and forth.

While the clock shift doesn’t necessarily cut down on sunlight, it would have an impact on day-to-day life. Ir Colorado switched to daylight saving time permanently, the time would only matter in the winter.

When the clocks shift back on November 3, the sun will rise at 6:31 a.m. and set just before 5 p.m. However, if Denver permanently stayed on daylight saving time, the sun would continue to rise after 7:30 a.m. and set just before 6 p.m. The change in clocks ultimately means the sun rises and sets earlier in the winter, from November through March.

The big difference would come during the darkest days of the year on December 20 and 21. During these days, the sun will rise at 7:17 a.m. and set just after 4:30 p.m. for many people, this means either heading to work in the dark or leaving work in the dark..or both. If Colorado stayed in daylight saving, the sun would rise after 8 a.m. and set after 5:30 p.m. Which would mean kids would go to school and adults would go to work in the dark. It would also mean many after-school activities and the end of the work day would happen when it’s still light out.

If Colorado had daylight saving time year-around, after the darkest day, the sun would start to rise earlier and set later, but by March, the clocks wouldn’t have to change an hour forward.