The approaching clocks change will push the local sunset later, with the sun not setting until almost 8pm on Sunday, March 29. The spring equinox on March 20 marks the season’s start and, together with the one-hour advance at the end of March, signals the return of longer, lighter evenings.
Why this moment is an inflection point
The meteorological calendar places the spring equinox on March 20, the official first day of spring. At the end of March the clocks will spring forward by one hour; the change is set for Sunday, March 29, when devices that update automatically will move from 1am to 2am. Traditional timepieces will require manual adjustment. That single-hour shift means the sun will set at almost 8pm on March 29, with evenings continuing to lengthen thereafter.
What Happens When Sunset Extends?
Moving the clocks forward affects the timing of daylight through the months that follow. By April 18, sunset is anticipated around 8. 30pm and by the end of April it will be approaching 9pm. The immediate effects noted include the loss of one hour of sleep when the clocks advance and a practical reminder to update manual clocks. All European Union member states will make the seasonal adjustment on the same schedule.
- Spring equinox: March 20 (official first day of spring)
- Clocks forward: Sunday, March 29 (devices advance 1am to 2am)
- Sunset on March 29: almost 8pm
- Sunset by April 18: around 8. 30pm; by month-end: approaching 9pm
- Clocks back later in the year: Sunday, October 26
What to expect next and practical steps
This year’s clock adjustment comes one day earlier than in 2025, when the clocks moved on March 30. The broader debate over ending twice-yearly clock changes was addressed in a 2019 vote at the European level, but implementation was postponed due to the Covid pandemic. The European Commission has not advanced a new proposal, and no change to the current pattern of summer and winter time is anticipated in the foreseeable future. Practically, residents should be ready for slightly later schedules in the evenings, plan for the one-hour loss of sleep, and check analogue clocks that do not update automatically so that the evening sunset can be enjoyed without disruption.
Expect the later sunset to be the clearest immediate benefit of the switch to Daylight Saving Time: longer, brighter evenings that will steadily extend through April and beyond.
