Time in the United States has its own characteristics from the point of view of its perception and notation. The United States is one of the few countries in which a 12-hour time calculus is adopted. If in the usual system of the system countdown from midnight, then in the American system, the day is divided into two equal segments - from midnight to noon and from noon until midnight. They are indicated, respectively: AM and PM.
AM is an abbreviation of an expression on the Ante Meridiem Latin, which means "before noon".
PM - respectively post Meridiem, that is, after noon.
There is a confusion with the designation directly afternoon and midnight. So, noon is denoted by 12 pm, and midnight - 12 am. By the way, in some countries, also using a 12-hour system, the designation of midnight and noon may differ. Sometimes, for convenience and avoid confusion, The time countdown until noon ends at 11.59 am, and after noon begins with 12.01 pm.
We also use a 12-hour system, at least in colloquial speech, adding part of the day to the designation. For example, 6 am, 8 pm and so on.
It is huge, it is located in the range of 6 time zones. At the same time, the main part accounts for 4 belts and 2 more on Alaska and Hawaii.
Depending on the geographical location, time zones are our own names:
- North American oriental time Eastern Standard Time (EST) - Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, partly Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida (UTC-8);
- Central Standard Time Time (CST) - Iowa, Alabama, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, partially 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, partially Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, North Dakota, Texas, South Dakota (UTC-7);
- North American Pacific Pacific Standard Time (PST) - Idaho (partially, northern), Washington, California, Nevada and Oregon (UTC-8);
- Standard Time Alaska Alaska Standard Time (AKST) is the territory of Alaska (UTC-9);
- Hawaiian-Aleutian time Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) - Hawaiian and Aleutian Islands (UTC-10).
Summer time transition to USA
The United States belongs to countries that are moving in the summer. This event takes place on the second Sunday of March, the return to winter time is performed in November, on the first Sunday. Each time the clock arrows are translated at night.Daylight saving time in the United States does not occur at Hast belt - at the Hawaiian Islands (Hawaii) and Aleutian Islands (Alaska).
It should be borne in mind that, unlike our 24-hour system, the American system is 12-hour. In the US, it is customary to divide the day for two time segments.
The first time segment begins at twelve nights (00:00) and continues exactly 12 hours, i.e. until 11:59 - time to noon. It is denoted by the time in the US "AM".
The second time segment is time from twelve days (12:00) and until 23:59 - time after noon. This period of time in America is indicated by "PM".
For example, 10 am in the 12-hour system 10:00 AM; 12 hours of the day - 12:00 pm; 3 hours of the day - 3:00 pm; Half of the tenth in the evening - 9:30 pm, whereas in the 24-hour system 21:30; 12 o'clock in the night of the American 12-hour system - 12:00 AM.
Time belts of America
The territory of the United States is located in the zone of 6 time belts, of which 4 continental belts.
Each time zone has its own name.
Continental time zones from west to east:
- Pacific zone/Pasific Time.: Loge for 8 hours in Greenwich (GMT -08: 00)
- Mountain zone / Mountain Time.: Loge for 7 hours in Greenwich (GMT -07: 00)
- Central zone/Central Time.: Loge for 6 hours in Greenwich (GMT -06: 00)
- Eastern Zone / Eastern Time.: Loge for 5 hours in Greenwich (GMT -05: 00)
Not continental watch chances of America include the temporary zones of Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands:
- Time Zone Alaska/Alaskan Time.: Loge for 9 hours on Greenwich (GMT - 09:00)
- Hawaiian and Aleutian islands time zone/Hawaii-Aleutian Time: Loge for 10 hours in Greenwich (GMT -10: 00)
Summer time transition to USA
Daylight saving time in the USA or Dylight Saving Time.that literally denotes the "daylight savings time." The transition begins at 2:00 a night of local time on the second Sunday of March. Reverse transition also produced at 2:00 am nights on the first Sunday of November.
The date and time in the United States is shifted back to the zero meridian in Greenwich. Like many other countries, the time of America determines the time zones. On the continental part of the country there are four of them - from UTC-05 in East America to UTC-08 in Western. Another 2 time zones operate on Alaska (UTC-09) and on the Aleutian Islands and Hawaii (UTC-10). Just with all the islands America takes 12 time zones. On our service you can always see accurate time in America online.
Historical formation of time zones in America
Local sunny time in America was used until 1883, while the leadership of the railways did not decide to use the standard world time throughout the country. 4 time zones were allocated:
- East - Eastern Standard Time;
- Central - Central Standard Time;
- Mountain - Mountain Standard Time;
- Pacific - Pacific Standard Time.
After a year, the major American cities lived on the "railway" time.
It is interesting: Detroit resisted the transition for a standard time for a long time in America. Local sunny time was ahead of the time zone for 28 minutes. In 1900, the city's authorities tried to translate the clock back to the volitional decision. As a result, the population was divided into two camps. Half of the inhabitants supported the change, and the rest of the flattened outline refused to obey. After long disputes, the city remained to live local time for another 15 years.
The official concept of the US time zone was consolidated by Congress's act only in 1918. Now, the transportation department is engaged in rule-making activities on a temporary framework on a territory of this or that territory.
Seasonal changes in time
How much time in America depends on the time of year. Daylight saving time takes place on the second Sunday of the first spring month - March. On this day, the clock on the larger territory of the United States at 2 o'clock in the morning is translated ahead. Back the transition to winter time is made in November - on the first Sunday.
In their temporary laws, Hawaii islands and Arizona islands (except for the reservation of Indians). Time for their inhabitants is always the same, no clock translating there. There is no transition for summer time and on other islands owned by the United States.
The composition of American temporary belts
What time in this or that state of North America can be said quite conditionally. The decision on the life of the territory at a certain time is carried out at the district level. Therefore, the current position of the clock arrows in different cities of one 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 evening zone of New York and the Political Capital of the United States differs from Moscow for 8 hours from November to March and 7 hours during the remaining months of the year. Knowing what an hour in the capital of Russia is easy to calculate how much time in New York and Washington. The same will be in Miami or Philadelphia. But in Los Angeles or Las Vegas, the clock will show less at 11 or 12 hours.
