Dear Tom,
Is it true that we will not be changing time back to CST this year?
Colette Palait
Dear Colette,
This Sunday morning clocks will change back to CST as usual, but there are some changes ahead for the beginning and ending dates of Daylight Saving Time starting in 2007. Essentially the period of Daylight Saving Time will be extended by three weeks, marking the end of a 20 year period when DST began the first Sunday in April and ended on the last Sunday in October.
As a result of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, starting next year, the states that observe DST will turn their clocks ahead one hour on the second Sunday in March and back one hour on the first Sunday in November. This change is subject to evaluation by the Department of Energy, and Congress could reinstate the old schedule if energy savings do not justify the change.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
