Daylight Saving Time for 2021 ended at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7, in California, with clocks resetting to 1 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.
The change results in an extra hour of sleep. It’s also a reminder to make sure smoke detectors have fresh batteries and — especially this year — sprinklers aren’t wasting water.
California is in the midst of a historic drought, and outdoor watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use.
“This is a great time to make sure irrigation systems are working properly and delivering the right amount of water,” said Jeff Stephenson, a water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority.
California and most other states will “fall back” to Standard Time on Sunday. Only Hawaii, most of Arizona, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands do not change with the rest of the country.
Arizona opts out as an energy-saving measure for the desert cities of Phoenix and Tucson, while Hawaii and other islands near the equator do not experience large variations in daylight.
The Automobile Club of Southern California warns drivers to be on the lookout for children and other pedestrians, since it will be dark an hour earlier in the evenings.
If you’re not sure about the correct time, visit Time.Gov for the official word from the U.S. Naval Observatory‘s “master clock.”
