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For the first time, the nation will spring forward three weeks early. Usually, we would be switching our clocks an hour forward around the beginning of April, but instead will observe the time change at 2 a.m. this Sunday.
It’s due to a resolution Congress passed which went into effect this year in an effort to conserve energy and make more use of daylight.
While many agree it’s a good idea, the early time change is raising concerns.
Just as the public was fearful over Y2K when the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve 1999 meant the dawn of a new millennium, some are similarly worried that the three-week-early time change this spring will cause computer and electronic problems.
Computer or operating systems programmed before 2005 will be affected by this because they are set up to change the time on April 1–the old date when clocks were changed. To update those systems, they will need to be reprogrammed or “patched” in tech terms. Both Microsoft.com and Apple.com have downloads to do just that. The other option is just manually changing the time.
Fire safety officials encourage the public to use the clock shifts as a reminder to check the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.