It's winter, but it's spring-forward time

ST. LOUIS — It takes John Pou about 60 minutes to hand-wind the 70 analog clocks — cuckoos, Vienna regulators, Westminster chimes — stashed around his University City, Mo., home. Pou, a retired engineer and avid clock collector, performs his winding ritual every Saturday, like clockwork. But it took him a bit longer this past week, as he prepared for daylight-saving time. He had to nudge each hour hand forward.

With its theft of one hour of sleep, daylight-saving time began at 2 a.m. this morning, arriving three weeks earlier than normal and marking the first change to the nation's time standard since 1986.

The tinkering with the nation's timing has led to some mild hand-wringing over potential problems.

The biggest headache is with computers programmed to begin daylight-saving time on the traditional first Sunday in April. Computerized day planners could make people an hour late for meetings. Wireless e-mail devices such as Blackberries and company computer servers may need to be reset. But most technologists predict only minor problems.

For some Jews, the initial 25-minute delay of sunrise could lead to a harried morning. They must wait until the sun rises to say morning prayers, preferably in a synagogue with others. And they need to pray before doing anything else, such as showering or eating breakfast.

"This is going to present a challenge to the committed Jew," said Rabbi Ze'ev Smason of Nusach Hari B'Nai Zion, an Orthodox synagogue in University City.

The National Parent Teacher Association has expressed concern about children traveling to school in the dark. But that worry does not appear to have trickled down to schools. Roberta Wilson, a crossing guard at St. Katherine Drexel Catholic Elementary in St. Louis, said she expects ample light for safe crossings. "It's not going to affect me too much," she said.

Congress instituted the time change as part of the 2005 energy bill. The start of daylight-saving time was moved up from the first Sunday in April to the second Sunday in March. The end was pushed from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November.

Supporters of the change point to 30-year-old studies showing fewer traffic accidents and violent crimes with additional afternoon daylight.

Energy consumption is predicted to drop slightly as people wait longer to turn on lights and small appliances. The Department of Energy plans to study the electricity savings and report back to Congress.