when clocks go forward

The clocks go forward in March: in 2026 they change on Sunday 8 March in the US and Canada, and on Sunday 29 March in the UK and most of Europe.

When clocks go forward (Quick Scoop)

Key 2026 dates

• United States & most of Canada: clocks go forward 1 hour at 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Sunday 8 March 2026.

• United Kingdom: clocks go forward 1 hour at 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday 29 March 2026, marking the start of British Summer Time (BST).

• Most of Europe: follows the same late‑March “spring forward” pattern as the UK, shifting from standard time to summer time.

You lose one hour of sleep that night but gain lighter evenings.

Why do clocks go forward?

• It’s part of Daylight Saving Time (or “summer time”), designed to make better use of lighter evenings in spring and summer.

• In places like the UK, the forward shift starts British Summer Time (BST), which is GMT+1.

• In the US, federal law sets the shift to the second Sunday in March and first Sunday in November.

Simple example

Imagine Saturday 8 March 2026 in New York:

• At 1:59 a.m. it’s still standard time.
• The next minute jumps straight to 3:00 a.m., skipping the 2 a.m. hour.

Think of it as “spring forward” for later sunsets, and “fall back” in autumn for earlier, brighter mornings again.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.