Fixing daylight saving time in Jordan throughout the year...between the benefits and harms

Weather of Arabia - This year, Jordanians are experiencing a different experience after the government's decision to install summer time in Jordan throughout the year. This decision raised Jordanians' concern and fear of the negative effects of that, so what are the negative effects? And are there pros to installing daylight saving time throughout the year?

The Arab Weather Center conducted a comprehensive study of the issue of summer and winter time in Jordan, we present to you some of its results in the following lines:

About the timings in Jordan

• The official time of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which corresponds to the longitude on which it is located, is two hours ahead of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC + 2), which is known locally as winter time.
• As for daylight saving time, it is an extra hour over the country’s original time. In the case of Jordan, the Kingdom’s daylight saving time becomes 3 hours more than the UTC (that is, UTC+3).

If the original time is winter time, why does daylight saving time apply?

• The purpose behind implementing daylight saving time is to make more use of daylight during working hours in the spring and summer, and thus reduce energy consumption (and this timing does not achieve the same result in the winter season, because the number of daylight hours is actually very short).
• Take advantage of daylight saving time and rationalize energy consumption by advancing the clock by 60 minutes, so that the Kingdom’s summer time becomes (UTC +3), and therefore sunset appears to be delayed by an hour, so the daylight remains bright for a longer time, which contributes to less consumption of means Energy and lighting nationwide as the last several hours of the day are considered peak hours.
• Many countries of the world apply daylight saving time, especially those that have a clear four seasons within their climate. And the following map. These countries indicate (most Arab countries do not apply daylight saving time):

Benefits of applying daylight saving time in Jordan

Implementing daylight saving time in Jordan is a feasible decision for the following reasons:

1. Compatibility with the timing of Saudi Arabia: The matching of the timing of Jordan with the timing of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has an economic return and facilitates work, as it is one of the largest economies of the Arab countries.
2. Reducing the difference in the number of hours between Jordan and the Gulf countries: In the summer time, the difference between the time of Jordan and the Gulf countries (such as the UAE) decreases from two hours to one hour, and thus a better economic return and ease of work.
3. Daylight saving time makes sense for the time of sunrise during the spring and summer months: the sunrise time coincides with daylight saving time in the spring and summer months (5:30), while if the time is not applied, the sunrise time in the summer is at 4:30 and Early morning.
4. Daylight saving time makes the sunset time during the spring and summer months later: the time of sunrise becomes with the summer time in the spring and summer months (7:50) so that there is more benefit from daylight during peak hours, while if the time is not applied it becomes sunset time The sun in the summer at 6:30 and it gets early, so we have to use energy sources to light up early.

Benefits of winter time during fall and winter in Jordan

Jordanians are accustomed to the start of winter time in the Kingdom at the end of the month of October, and this was in accordance with astronomical events and the date of the autumnal equinox, after which the number of daylight hours begins to decrease gradually at the expense of the number of night hours.

The following are some of the benefits of applying winter time, according to the study conducted in the Arab Weather Center:

1. Providing electricity for lighting: Working in winter time significantly saves citizens the cost of using electricity during the morning in the winter season, as the time of sunrise is suitable for Jordanians, which makes them need to use lights at home in the morning, in order to prepare to go to school or work.
2. Providing the use of heating means: The cold weather usually continues in Jordan until March, and the use of winter time in that period saves citizens the cost of using heating means, as temperatures increase dramatically after sunrise, which leads to a reduction in the time of using heating means.
3. Improving the individual’s production capacity: The use of winter time at the appropriate time reflects positively on the individual’s production capacity at work and the absorptive capacity of students in schools in the winter. Going to school and work while the sun is shining is different from it in the dark.
4. Working in winter time is a natural simulation of the changing times of sunrise and sunset, while abandoning it would be a confrontation with natural conditions imposed on Jordan because of its geographical location in a way that negatively affects social life.

Disadvantages of working in daylight saving time throughout the year

1. Late sunrise during winter: The sun rises on the first day of November around 6:52 am, this time begins to gradually increase until sunrise reaches its maximum time on January 15 at 7:37 ), and the sunset will be around six o'clock in the evening.
2. The peak of the cold is in the early morning, with the lowest temperature recorded just after sunrise (approximately between 7:30 and 8:00 am).
3. The use of daylight saving time in winter may cause citizens to suffer and feel psychological pain when they wake up and go to work or school in the dark and cold.
4. The use of summer time in winter leads to making the peak of traffic at dawn and in the morning, which is the optimal time for the increased risk of frost, freezing and fog during cold days, which may increase the rate of traffic accidents , while the chances of frost decrease rapidly after the month of March.
5. The decision to establish work in summer time may be unfair to the people of villages and faraway places, as many villagers depend on going to school or working on foot, forcing them to get up very early, in order to catch up with their jobs or schools on foot or by using hard transportation Long time in cold and dark.
6. Working in summer time in winter will cause a large proportion of private sector employees to leave their homes in the dark in the morning, and return to their homes in the evening.