The Eastern Time Zone (EST/EDT/ET) includes the following US states: From east to west, they are: Atlantic Standard Time (AST), Eastern Standard Time (EST), Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST), Pacific Standard Time (PST), Alaskan Standard Time (AKST), Hawaiian-Aleutian Standard Time (HST), Samoa Standard Time, and Chamorro Standard Time.

There are nine standard time zones in the United States. ET refers to EST when EST is the local time and EDT when EDT is the local time. If you’re in an area that observes Daylight Saving Time and you’re not sure whether to use EDT or EST, it’s always safe to use ET. It’s a catch-all term that refers to EST or EDT, whichever currently applies. It’s correct to use EST in autumn and winter. In areas that observe Daylight Saving Time, EST is the local time zone from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March. It’s five hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5). What Is EST?ĮST stands for Eastern Standard Time. It’s correct to use EDT in spring and summer.

In areas that observe Daylight Saving Time, EDT is the local time zone from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. It’s four hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time, the global time standard used to synchronize clocks around the world. What Is EDT?ĮDT stands for Eastern Daylight Time. Let’s take a closer look at each of these acronyms and when it’s appropriate to use them. Meanwhile, ET (Eastern Time) is a flexible term that refers to either EDT or EST, whichever one is currently in use. On the first Sunday of November, the clock gets set back one hour, and on the second Sunday of March, the clock gets set forward one hour.Īs a result, the time zone is called Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) half the year, after the clock is set forward, and Eastern Standard Time (EST) during the remainder of the year, after the clock is set back. The purpose of Daylight Saving Time is to ensure that darkness falls later in the winter. The reason there are three different initialisms for the same time zone is because of Daylight Saving Time, which is a clock-changing practice observed in many countries around the world. What’s the Difference Between EDT, EST, and ET?

How to Know Whether It’s EST or EDT Right Now.

What’s the Difference Between EDT, EST, and ET?.

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