Arizona stands out in so many ways. It’s uniquely hot and uniquely dry. The saguaro cactus grows nowhere else in the country. And, unlike our out-of-state friends and family who must grapple with time change twice a year, we don’t observe daylight saving time.
If you’ve ever wondered why, we’ve got you covered.
Why doesn’t Arizona observe daylight saving time?
Arizona doesn’t spring forward or fall back because the climate is so hot and sunny. While daylight saving time theoretically helps to conserve energy in other states, it has the opposite effect in the Grand Canyon State.
Before Arizona officially opted out of daylight saving time in 1967, the extra hour of daylight it provided during our summers of extreme heat left residents unhappy. According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, Arizonans had to wait an hour longer – sometimes until a 9 p.m. sunset – to enjoy their evening summer activities…