Spring forward: Daylight Savings Time is Sunday

By SUZANNE DOWNING

March 3, 2026 – Alaskans will lose an hour of sleep this weekend as clocks “spring forward” for Daylight Saving Time at 2 am Sunday, March 8.

The time change means darker mornings and brighter evenings across the state, a tradeoff that feels especially pronounced in Alaska, where daylight swings are already extreme. Usually within a couple of weeks, the oncoming increase in daylight ends up making up for the loss of daylight in the morning.

But while Alaska flips the switch once again, neighboring British Columbia says this will be its final time change ever.

When clocks move ahead Sunday, province will adopt permanent Daylight Saving Time under a new designation called Pacific Time.

Under the plan, BC will stay on daylight time year-round, aligning with the Yukon Territory, which stopped changing clocks in 2020, and will  match Alberta and other Mountain Standard Time regions during winter months at least, while lining up with California, Washington, and Oregon during the rest of the year.

BC officials say the change is better for health and routines, provides more evening daylight during darker months, and simplifies scheduling for businesses and service providers.

The move reflects a trend across North America, where frustration with biannual clock changes has grown in recent years.

Alaska has considered making a similar change, but the most recent effort has stalled in the Legislature.

Rep. Jamie Allard of Eagle River last year introduced House Bill 41, which would effectively keep Alaska on daylight time year-round, advancing Alaska standard time by one hour for the entire calendar year.

The bill amends state law to establish: “The time of the state and its political subdivisions throughout the calendar year is Alaska standard time … advanced by one hour.”

However, the proposal is contingent on Congress amending federal law to allow states to observe Daylight Saving Time permanently. Current federal law allows states to opt out of Daylight Saving Time entirely, as Arizona and Hawaii have done, but does not allow them to adopt permanent daylight time without congressional approval.

Despite being introduced more than a year ago, the bill has not received a hearing in House State Affairs. The committee is chaired by Democrats: Rep. Ashley Carrick, with Rep. Andi Story serving as vice chair.

In the meantime, Rep. Ky Holland, an undeclared lawmaker who caucuses with Democrats, introduced his own version of a daylight saving measure. Competing legislation can sometimes sideline a bill when the sponsor is in the minority.

With Democrats controlling the House majority, Allard’s bill has remained in its first committee without movement.

For now, Alaska will continue following the federal schedule with clocks moving forward the second Sunday in March, and back an hour the first Sunday in November.