Difference Between Pacific Time and Eastern Time

Pacific Time vs Eastern Time
 

The time difference between Pacific Time and Eastern Time, the two important time zones of North America, is three hours. The US Time Zones are nine in number. Pacific Time and Eastern Time are two of them and the other seven are Atlantic, Central, Mountain, Alaska, Hawaii-Aleutian, Samoa, and Chamorro. These times are actually ways of keeping time as the rest of the world does by following GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) or UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). It is important to note that both Pacific Time and Eastern Time keep time by referring to UTC. The Pacific Standard Time (PST) is calculated by subtracting 8 hours from UTC. The Eastern Standard Time (EST) is calculated by subtracting 5 hours from UTC. One hour is adjusted from these times during the daylight saving period. However, the time difference between Pacific Time and Eastern Time remains same even during daylight saving period. More information about the two time zones will be discussed in this article.

What is Eastern Time?

The Eastern Time (ET) or Eastern Standard Time (EST) is also known as North American Eastern Standard Time. Eastern Time Zone (ETZ) is the generic name for this time zone in the United States of America and Canada. EST and EDT are the specific terms used when standard time and daylight saving time are observed respectively.

The eastern part of US, Ontario, Quebec, and East central Nunavut in Canada, and some countries in Central America are part of the Eastern Time zone. In the United States of America, 17 States (Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia are entirely situated within the Eastern Time zone. Another 6 states (Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee) are split between the Central Time zone and the Eastern Time zone. It is important to note that the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C., also observes only the Eastern Time as it falls under this zone.

The Eastern Standard Time in US and Canada are 5 hours behind the UTC during winter, it is known as Eastern Standard Time (EST); EST is UTC – 5. During daylight saving period in summer, ET is 4 hours behind the UTC time. It is called Eastern Daylight Time (EDT); EDT is UTC-4.

What is Pacific Time?

The Pacific Standard Time (PST) is also known as Pacific Coast Time or West Coast Time. It is also known as North American Pacific Standard Time (NAPST). The Pacific Time zone runs through Pacific Coast of Canada and US. In USA and Canada, the Pacific Standard Time (PST) or Pacific Time (PT) is 8 hours behind UTC; PST is UTC- 8. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) is 7 hours behind UTC; PDT is UTC-7. The Pacific Time Zone includes places like California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and Idaho in United States, British Columbia, Yukon, Tungsten, and Northwest territories in Canada, and Baja California in Mexico. The largest city in Pacific Time zone is the Los Angeles in California.

The Pacific and Eastern Time Zones remain three hours apart from each other. The same is true even during the cooler months, and in the warmer months. It is normally daylight saving time in the warmer months. While discussing time zones in the United States of America, you have to be informed about the fact that most states are entirely contained in one time zone. However, we saw that some states in the United States of America fall in two time zones as well.

The reason why some states in the United State of America fall under two time zones is due to several factors. Some of these factors include the expanse of the state, geographical conditions of the state, socio-political conditions of the state, and the economic conditions of the state for that matter.

One of the best examples of two areas that lie close to each other but come under different time zones is Washington and Washington DC. While Washington falls under the Pacific Time Zone, Washington, D.C. falls under the Eastern Time Zone.

What is the difference between Pacific Time and Eastern Time?

• There is 3 hours of time difference between Pacific Time and Eastern Time.

• Some states in United States belong to both time zones. For example. Washington D.C belongs to Eastern Time while Washington belongs to Pacific Time.

• Eastern Time in US and Canada

Eastern Standard Time (EST) = UTC – 5

Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) = UTC – 4

• Pacific Time in US and Canada

Pacific Standard Time (PST) = UTC – 8

Eastern Daylight Time (PDT) = UTC – 7

Images Courtesy: Pacific Time Zone via Wikicommons

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