The Pacific Time Zone (PT) comprises portions of western Canada, the western United States, and western Mexico. This time zone subtracts eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time to get local time. During daylight saving time, UTC07:00 is utilized as the time offset.
This time zone is known in the United States and Canada as the Pacific Time Zone. Specifically, the time in this time zone is known as Pacific Standard Time (PST) when standard time is observed (early November to mid-March) and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) when daylight saving time is observed (mid-March to early November).
Comparison Between PST And PDT
| Parameter | PST | PDT |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | PST is a subdivision of the Pacific Time Zone that is observed from the 1st Sunday of November to the 2nd Sunday in March. | PDT is a subdivision of the Pacific Time Zone which is observed during the remainder of the year. |
| Full Form | PST is an abbreviation of Pacific Standard Time. | PDT stands for Pacific Daylight Time. |
| Duration | PST time is used only during the summer months, i.e., from the first week of November to the 2nd Sunday in March. | The PDT time zone is used during the rest of the time when PST isn’t being used. |
| Relation with Universal Standard Time | It is 8 hours behind UTC. | PDT time runs 7 hours behind UTC. |
| Time difference | Being the standard time, PST always remains the same. | It is always kept one hour ahead of PST. |
| Characteristic feature | Due to the use of PST, days in winter are shorter. | Following the PDT time zone ensures that days during summer are comparatively longer. |
| Relations between each other | PST always runs 1 hour behind PDT. | PDT time measurements are always 1 hour ahead of PST. |
The Major Differences Between PST and PDT
What is PST?
PST is an abbreviation of “Pacific Standard Time.” This time zone is approximately 8 hours behind the Universal Standard Time and used only in winter.
Since the duration of daylight obtained in winter is shorter than in summer, PST is observed 1 hour behind PDT.
The characteristic feature of PST is that it is followed only during the summer season. Thus, this time zone is used from the beginning of November till the middle of March.
Key Difference: PST
- PST stands for Pacific Standard Time.
- This time zone division is used during the winter season.
- It is 8 hours behind Universal Time.
- The hours of measurement are shorter.
- It is used from mid-March to early November.
What is PDT?
Pacific Daylight Time, often called PDT, is the time format used during summer. That is, it starts in mid-March and lasts till the early days of November. It is observed 7 hours behind UTC.
The 1-hour time difference between PDT and PST is because more daylight is obtained during summer. To compensate for this, PDT is always 1 hour ahead of PST. As a result, summer days are much longer.
Key Difference: PDT
- PDT stands for Pacific Daylight Time.
- PDT is used for calculating time in the winter season.
- It is about 7 hours behind Universal Time.
- The hours of measurement are longer.
- This time zone is observed from November to March.
Contrast Between PST And PDT
Usage:
- PST- This time zone is observed only during summer.
- PDT- The PDT time zone is strictly used in the winter season.
Nomenclature:
- PST- PST stands for Pacific Standard Time. Being the standardized time format, it does not need any adjustments.
- PDT- PDT is an abbreviation for Pacific Daylight Time.
Duration of months:
- PST- The usage of PST time starts in November, the onset of winter. It continues to be observed roughly till the middle of March.
- PDT- PDT finds its use during the summer months, from March to November.
Length of the day:
- PST- The PST time measurement ensures that days in winter are much shorter.
- PDT- Due to the PDT time format, days during summer are considerably longer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Are PST and PDT the same?
PST and PDT are both subdivisions of PT (Pacific Time). PST is used during the winter, whereas PDT is used during the summer.
Q2. What is the time difference between PST and PDT?
The PST timing is 1 hour behind the PDT times.
Q3. What term to use when you are confused?
If someone is confused regarding the term to be used, the commonly used term is “PT,” which is an abbreviation of “Pacific Time.”
Q4. What do PDT and PST stand for?
PDT stands for Pacific Daylight Time. PST is an abbreviation of Pacific Standardized Time.
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