Clocks Fall Back Sunday. Milford's Sunset Jumps to 4:47 p.m., and Here's How Early It Gets by December

MILFORD — Enjoy the late light this week, because it’s about to disappear. Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, Nov. 1. At 2 a.m. the clocks go back to 1 a.m., which gives everyone an extra hour of sleep. It also moves sunset in Milford up by about an hour overnight.

Most phones, computers and cable boxes will change on their own. The oven, the microwave, the car dashboard and the clock on the bedroom wall won’t. If you have to be somewhere early Sunday morning, set those before you go to bed Saturday.

What the change does to Milford’s sunset

Tonight, Monday, Oct. 26, the sun sets in Milford at about 5:55 p.m. On Halloween, Saturday, it sets around 5:48 p.m. On Sunday, the first day back on standard time, sunset comes at about 4:47 p.m. The days keep getting shorter until early December, when the sun goes down at about 4:22 p.m.

Date	Sunrise	Sunset
Mon., Oct. 26	7:16 a.m.	5:55 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 31 (Halloween)	7:22 a.m.	5:48 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 1 (clocks fall back)	6:23 a.m.	4:47 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 2	6:24 a.m.	4:46 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 15	6:40 a.m.	4:32 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 30	6:57 a.m.	4:23 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 7	7:04 a.m.	4:22 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 21 (winter solstice)	7:14 a.m.	4:26 p.m.

Times are approximate, calculated for downtown Milford, and can be off by a minute or so depending on where you are in town.

One small upside: once the clocks change, mornings get brighter for a while. Next Monday the sun comes up at about 6:24 a.m. instead of around 7:24, so early dog walks and morning runs will be in daylight again for a few weeks.

Halloween stays bright, barely

Trick-or-treaters still get daylight saving time this year, since Halloween is the night before the change. Sunset on Saturday is around 5:48 p.m., and it’s fully dark by about 6:17. Most kids will still be out after dark, so reflective tape, glow sticks or a small flashlight help drivers see them. Drivers should go slowly on side streets that evening.

The first dark commute

The biggest change comes Monday, Nov. 2. Anyone who leaves work at 5 p.m. will drive home in twilight, and it’s dark by about 5:15. On roads like the Boston Post Road, Bridgeport Avenue and Naugatuck Avenue, and on residential streets, that’s when people are walking dogs, kids are coming home from practice and shoppers are crossing parking lots. Most of them are still on their summer schedule.

Turn your headlights on earlier than feels necessary.
Slow down near crosswalks and bus stops, where people in dark coats are hard to see at dusk.
If you walk or run after work, wear something light or reflective, and carry a light.
Clean your windshield inside and out. Low sun and headlight glare make a dirty windshield much worse.

Change your clocks, check your smoke alarms

Fire safety groups have long used the time change as a reminder to look at smoke alarms. The National Fire Protection Association notes that the “change your clocks, change your batteries” idea isn’t its own campaign, and that the right steps depend on the type of alarm you have:

Alarms with sealed 10-year batteries: these don’t take new batteries. If one starts to chirp, the battery is dying and you need to replace the whole alarm.
Alarms with replaceable batteries: put in a new battery at least once a year, and right away if the alarm chirps. Use the battery type the manufacturer lists.
Test monthly: the NFPA says to test alarms once a month by pressing the test button. The weekend you change the clocks is an easy time to remember.
Replace old alarms: smoke alarms should be replaced when they’re 10 years old. The manufacture date is printed on the back.
Carbon monoxide alarms deserve the same check, especially with furnaces and fireplaces coming back on for the season.

You can find more guidance on the NFPA’s smoke alarm page.

A quick checklist for Saturday night

Set non-connected clocks back one hour before bed: stove, microwave, car, wall and bedside clocks.
Check smoke and CO alarms.
Charge or replace porch-light and walkway bulbs, and check any outdoor timers. Most will now come on an hour off.
Reset pet feeding and medication reminders if they’re tied to a clock time.

AT A GLANCE

What: Daylight saving time ends

When: Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. (clocks go back to 1 a.m.)

Milford sunset: About 5:48 p.m. Sat., Oct. 31, then about 4:47 p.m. Sun., Nov. 1

Earliest sunset: About 4:22 p.m. in early December

Clocks spring forward: March 2027