Southern Oregon returned to Pacific Standard Time early Sunday, giving households an extra hour overnight and moving sunset an hour earlier on the clock as November begins.
The change took effect at 2 a.m. November 1, when clocks moved back to 1 a.m. For anyone waking up to a kitchen clock, wristwatch or dashboard display that still shows Saturday’s setting, the morning comes with one remaining task: turn it back one hour.
The overnight adjustment followed Halloween, placing the return to standard time between Saturday evening’s trick-or-treating and Sunday morning’s activities. Church services, work shifts, appointments and travel schedules now follow the new time. A clock left unchanged will put its owner an hour ahead of the local schedule.
Smartphones and internet-connected devices generally make the adjustment automatically when their time settings are enabled. Battery-operated wall clocks, appliance displays and some vehicle clocks require attention. Comparing those displays with a phone set to update automatically can help prevent a missed appointment or an unnecessarily early arrival.
Across Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland and surrounding communities, the most noticeable change will arrive Sunday afternoon. Sunset now comes an hour earlier by the clock, bringing darkness sooner to the evening commute, neighborhood walks and outdoor activities. Morning daylight also arrives an hour earlier on the clock.
The adjustment does not remove an hour of sunlight from the day. Southern Oregon’s daylight continues its seasonal decline as the region approaches the winter solstice in December. Moving the clocks changes where those daylight hours fall within the daily schedule.
Earlier darkness gives drivers and pedestrians another reason to prepare before heading out. Walkers can improve their visibility with reflective clothing and lights, while drivers should allow time to spot people crossing streets or traveling along roads without sidewalks. Families arranging afternoon activities will also have less daylight available after school.
Efforts to end the twice-yearly clock changes have continued in Salem and Washington, but they have not eliminated Oregon’s seasonal adjustment. Proposals have pursued different outcomes, including keeping daylight saving time throughout the year or observing standard time permanently.
Oregon approved legislation in 2019 intended to establish permanent daylight saving time in the portion of the state that includes Southern Oregon. Its implementation depends on conditions involving California and Washington, and federal law still prevents states from independently adopting year-round daylight saving time. States can choose to remain on standard time under existing federal law.
For now, Southern Oregon continues to move forward in March and back in November. The next scheduled change is March 14, 2027, when clocks advance one hour.
Sunday’s adjustment also offers a convenient opportunity to test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms and check their replacement dates. Devices with replaceable batteries should receive fresh batteries when needed, following manufacturer instructions.
As the first morning of November gets underway, clocks throughout Southern Oregon should be one hour behind their Saturday settings. Anyone who has not made the adjustment should do so before leaving home.