The date and time in the United States are shifted back relative to the Prime Meridian at Greenwich. Like many other countries, America determines time by time zones. There are four of them on the continental part of the country - from UTC-05 in eastern America to UTC-08 in western America. Another 2 time zones are in Alaska (UTC-09) and the Aleutian Islands and Hawaii (UTC-10). In total, together with all the islands, America occupies 12 time zones. On our service you can always see the exact time in America online.

The historical development of time zones in America

Local solar time in America was used until 1883, when railroad officials decided to use standard world time throughout the country. 4 time zones were allocated:

  • Eastern - Eastern Standard Time;
  • Central - Central Standard Time;
  • Mountain - Mountain Standard Time;
  • Pacific - Pacific Standard Time.

Within a year, three-quarters of major American cities lived on “railroad” time.

This is interesting: Detroit has long resisted switching to American standard time. Local solar time was 28 minutes ahead of the time zone. In 1900, the city authorities tried to forcefully set the clock back. As a result, the population was divided into two camps. Half of the residents supported the changes, while the rest flatly refused to comply. After much debate, the city remained on local time for another 15 years.

The concept of the US time zone was officially established by an act of Congress only in 1918. Currently, the Department of Transportation is responsible for rulemaking regarding time frames in a given territory.

Seasonal time changes

What time it is in America depends on the time of year. The transition to summer time occurs on the second Sunday of the first spring month - March. On this day, clocks throughout most of the United States are set forward an hour at 2 a.m. The switch back to winter time takes place in November - on the first Sunday.

The islands of Hawaii and the state of Arizona (except for the Indian reservation) live by their own temporary laws. The time is always the same for their residents; they do not change clocks there. There is no daylight saving time on other islands belonging to the United States.

Composition of American time zones

What time it is in a particular state of North America can be said rather arbitrarily. The decision on the life of a territory for a certain time is made at the district level. Therefore, the current position of the clock hands in different cities of the same state may vary.

Eastern zone UTC-05 Central zone UTC-06 Mountain zone UTC-07 Pacific zone UTC-08
Connecticut

District of Columbia Delaware

 Alabama Arizona California

Washington State

The time zone of New York and the political capital of the United States differs from Moscow by 8 hours from November to March and by 7 hours in the remaining months of the year. Knowing what time it is in the Russian capital, it is easy to calculate what time it is in New York and Washington. The same number will be in Miami or Philadelphia. But in Los Angeles or Las Vegas, the clock will show 11 or 12 hours less.

Time difference between Moscow and New York (USA) in summer and winter. New York time zone.

For a long time, many residents of the former USSR dreamed of going to America. Today all the curtains are raised and everyone can visit the cherished country of global progress. The only inconvenience you will have to face is the time difference.

The time period through which the traveler will have to pass in winter is 8 hours into the past. That is, when it is 16:00 in the capital of Russia, NY turns off alarms that go off at 8:00 am. In summer the time difference is 7 hours. So, for example, if in summer it is 10 am in Moscow, then in New York it is 3 am.

Time in Moscow is 7 hours ahead of time in New York in summer and 8 hours in winter.

This difference is not surprising - the cities are separated by 7,500 kilometers. However, a traveler traveling to New York will experience an unprecedented time jump. Taking into account the difference in time zones and the flight time of 10 hours, having departed from Moscow at 12:00, he will be in America at 14:00 local time in winter or 15:00 in summer, thereby increasing his daylight hours.

Moscow belongs to the time zone UTC +3, New York - UTC -5 in winter and UTC -4 in summer.

Cities in the same time zone as New York

Washington, Kingston, Quito, Bogota, Ottawa.

Time difference from Moscow

− 8 hours in summer −7 hours

Time in the USA has its own characteristics in terms of its perception and designation. The USA is one of the few countries in the world that has adopted a 12-hour time system. If in our usual system time is counted from midnight, then in the American system the day is divided into two equal segments - from midnight to noon and from noon to midnight. They are designated respectively: AM and PM.

AM is an abbreviation of the Latin expression ante meridiem, which means "before noon."

PM - respectively post meridiem, that is, after noon.

There is confusion with the designation of noon and midnight itself. So, noon is indicated by 12 pm, and midnight by 12 am. By the way, in some countries that also use a 12-hour system, the designation of midnight and noon may differ. Sometimes, for convenience and to avoid confusion, The countdown to noon ends at 11.59 am, and the afternoon countdown starts at 12.01 pm.

We also use the 12-hour system, at least colloquially, by adding part of the day to the time. For example, 6 am, 8 pm and so on.



is huge, it is located in the area of ​​6 time zones. Moreover, the main part accounts for 4 belts and 2 more in Alaska and Hawaii.

Depending on their geographical location, time zones have their own names:

  • Eastern Standard Time (EST) - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, parts of Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida (UTC-8);
  • Central American Time Central Standard Time (CST) - Iowa, Alabama, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, parts of Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, South Dakota, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Florida (UTC-6);
  • Mountain Standard Time (MST) - Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, parts of Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, North Dakota, Texas, South Dakota (UTC-7);
  • North American Pacific Time Pacific Standard Time (PST) - Idaho (partial, northern part), Washington, California, Nevada and Oregon (UTC-8);
  • Alaska Standard Time Alaska Standard Time (AKST) - territory of the state of Alaska (UTC-9);
  • Hawaiian-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) - Hawaiian and Aleutian Islands (UTC-10).

Daylight Saving Time in the USA

The United States is one of the countries that adopts daylight saving time. This event takes place on the second Sunday in March; the return to winter time occurs in November, on the first Sunday. Each time the clock hands are moved at night.

Daylight saving time in the United States does not occur in the HAST time zone - in the Hawaiian Islands (Hawaii) and the Aleutian Islands (Alaska).