California transitions to standard time as El Niño impacts weather patterns

California will officially end daylight saving time on Sunday, November 1, at 2:00 a.m. local time. Residents will set their clocks back one hour to return to Pacific Standard Time, a change that will remain in effect until March 14, 2027. This transition will result in earlier sunrises and earlier sunsets during the autumn and winter months.

Regarding seasonal weather, the first snowfalls are expected in high-altitude areas of the Sierra Nevada by late October, specifically in Mammoth Lakes. Other regions, such as South Lake Tahoe and Sequoia National Park, typically see snow in early November, while Yosemite National Park usually receives its first snowfall in mid-November. Significant snow in northern counties like Siskiyou and Placer is expected by late November, with southern counties like Mono and Inyo seeing accumulation in December.

Climate forecasts for the 2026-2027 period indicate strong effects from the El Niño phenomenon, which may influence precipitation patterns across various regions.