Central Time Zone

Central Time Zone
Time zone
  Central Time Zone
UTC offset
CSTUTC−06:00
CDTUTC−05:00
Current time
11:49, 28 March 2024 CST [refresh]
12:49, 28 March 2024 CDT [refresh]
Observance of DST
DST is observed in some of this time zone.

The North American Central Time Zone (CT)[1] is a time zone in parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America and some Caribbean islands.

Central Time Zone is affected by two time designations yearly: Central Standard Time (CST) is observed from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March. It is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and designated internationally as UTC−6.[2] From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November most of this zone (20 states in the US and three provinces or territories in Canada) observes daylight saving time (DST), creating the designation of Central Daylight Time (CDT) which is five hours behind UTC and known as UTC−5 internationally.[3]

  1. ^ "Central Time – CT Time Zone". timeanddate.com. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  2. ^ "History of Time Zones and Daylight Saving Time (DST)". United States Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics. January 17, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  3. ^ "Central Time (CST/CDT) | GMT". greenwichmeantime.com. Retrieved May 22, 2020.