What is Pacific Time?

Pacific Time is a time zone located in the western region of North America. It encompasses parts of Canada, the US, and Mexico. The time zone is 8 hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), but the exact amount of time behind UTC depends on the location. For Canadian provinces and US territories located in the Pacific Time Zone, it is 8 hours behind UTC. For Mexico, it is 7 hours behind UTC.

How is Pacific Time Determined?

Since the Pacific Time Zone is located in the western half of North America, the time it is set is determined by local longitude calculations. Time zones that are located in the far western part of the continent usually shift by an hour due to the Atlantic Time Zone being at -3 hours behind UTC. This means that the Pacific Time Zone is slightly further behind UTC than the Atlantic Time Zone.

What Time is it in Pacific Time?

Due to the variations between Mexico, Canada, and the US, the exact time in Pacific Time can vary. However, the general rule of thumb is that it is 8 hours behind UTC. This means that when it is 12 am UTC, the time in Pacific Time is 4 pm.

For those living in US Territories like Hawaii and Alaska, the time is slightly different than the greater Pacific Time Zone. The main difference is that Alaska is 1 hour behind Pacific Time due to the longitude calculations. This means that when it is 12 am UTC, Alaska’s time is 3 pm. Hawaii is 2 hours behind Pacific Time, meaning when it is 12 am UTC, it’s only 2 pm in Hawaii.