KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A bill to make daylight saving time permanent across the country has passed the U.S. Senate and is on its way to the House of Representatives. If senators approve and the bill is signed by President Joe Biden, Americans would “spring forward” one last time in March 2024.
The end of daylight saving time would mean Americans would stop “falling back” into standard time each winter and instead stay in what is now daylight saving time. Standard time currently runs from the first Sunday in November until the second Sunday in March.
The change would mean later sunsets and sunrises in the winter months, making evenings a bit brighter. Mornings would stay darker longer.
Here is a look at when the sun rises and sets in Knoxville during standard time. These times are approximate and may change slightly from year to year.
November
- Average sunrise time: 7:13 a.m.
- Average sunset time: 5:28 p.m.
December
- Average sunrise time: 7:37 a.m.
- Average sunset time: 5:36 p.m.
January
- Average sunrise time: 7:41 a.m.
- Average sunset time: 5:47 p.m.
February
- Average sunrise time: 7:20 a.m.
- Average sunset time: 6:17 p.m.
The switch would be that the sun would rise after 8 a.m. and closer to 9 a.m. and set closer to 7 p.m. as we move from winter into early spring around East Tennessee.
One positive many people have pointed out is later sunsets would mean more light after work. The downside would mean the sun would rise later meaning it may still be dark for some people’s morning commutes.
For East Tennessee, the earliest the sun would ever set under this proposal would be around 6:30 p.m. from late November to early December. The latest the sun would ever rise under this proposal would be around 8:40 a.m. from late December into early January.
