When Does the Time Change in West Virginia?

2024 DST Schedule

🌸 Spring Forward

2024-03-10

2:00 AM → 3:00 AM

🍂 Fall Back

2024-11-03

2:00 AM → 1:00 AM

Spring Transition

Lose one hour of sleep but gain evening daylight

Summer Months

Enjoy extended daylight hours for outdoor activities

Fall Transition

Gain an extra hour of sleep as we return to standard time

Winter Months

Earlier sunrises help with morning routines

Economic Impact of DST in West Virginia

The economic implications of Daylight Saving Time in West Virginia are significant and multifaceted. Retail businesses often report increased sales during DST months due to extended evening daylight hours, which encourages shopping and dining out. The tourism and recreation industries particularly benefit, with golf courses, theme parks, and other outdoor venues seeing revenue increases of up to 5%.

However, the transition periods create temporary disruptions. Studies estimate that the Monday following the spring time change results in approximately $496 million in lost productivity nationwide due to sleep deprivation and adjustment issues.

Agricultural Considerations

Farmers in West Virginia have historically had mixed feelings about DST. While the original justification for DST included giving farmers more daylight hours, modern farming practices rely heavily on the sun's position rather than clock time. Dairy farmers particularly note that cows don't adjust their biological clocks, creating temporary disruptions in milking schedules.

Did You Know?

Germany and Austria-Hungary were the first countries to use DST in 1916 during World War I.
Daylight Saving Time was first proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 as a way to conserve candles.
DST was extended in the US in 2007, adding 4 weeks to the DST period.