Residents of Latvia and most European countries will again have to set their clocks back to winter time this autumn. In 2026, this will happen on the night of October 24 to 25, writes [nra.lv](https://nra.lv/latvija/530065-kad-notiks-pareja-uz-ziemas-laiku-2026-gada.htm). At 03:00, the clocks will need to be set back one hour to 02:00. This will make the night one hour longer, but it will start getting dark earlier in the evenings. Although many may feel that the transition is happening unusually early, there are no changes in the rules. Everything is explained by the calendar. According to the current procedure, the transition to winter time always occurs on the last Sunday of October. In 2026, this falls on October 25, while in 2025 it was October 26, in 2024 it was October 27, and in 2023 it was October 29. This is why the current clock change will take place earlier than in previous years. Most modern devices — smartphones, computers, smartwatches, and other gadgets — will automatically change the time. Owners of old clocks and some household appliances will have to do this manually. Traditionally, the clock change is carried out on weekends to minimize the impact on work, studies, and daily activities. The question of abolishing seasonal time changes in the European Union has been discussed for several years. Back in 2018, the European Commission conducted public consultations, the majority of participants of which supported abandoning this practice. However, EU countries have not been able to agree on which time to keep permanent — summer or winter — so the current system remains in place. Until a decision is made, Europeans will continue to change their clocks twice a year: in autumn to standard (winter) time, and in spring back to summer time. The next clock change after this autumn will take place on the night of March 27 to 28, 2027, when the time will again be set one hour forward — from 02:00 to 03:00. Until a unified decision is made in the EU, seasonal clock changes remain mandatory for Latvia.
