Mountain Time Zone
The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time (UTC−7) during the shortest days of autumn and winter, and by subtracting six hours during daylight saving time in the spring, summer, and early autumn (UTC−6). The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 105th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory.
In the United States and Canada, this time zone is generically called Mountain Time (MT). Specifically, it is Mountain Standard Time (MST) when observing standard time (winter), and Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) when observing daylight saving time (spring, summer, fall). The term refers to the fact that the Rocky Mountains, which range from northwestern Canada to the US state of New Mexico, are located almost entirely in the time zone. In Mexico this time is known as the Pacific Zone. In the USA, the exact specification for the location of time zones and the dividing line between zones is set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations at 49 CFR 71.[1]
The zone is one hour ahead of the Pacific Time Zone and one hour behind the Central Time Zone.
In some areas, starting in 2007, the local time changes from MST to MDT at 02:00 LST to 03:00 LDT on the second Sunday in March and returns at 02:00 LDT to 01:00 LST on the first Sunday in November.
Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, and during the spring, summer, and autumn months it is on the same time as Pacific Daylight Time, though it is still called Mountain Standard Time in Arizona. The Navajo Nation, most of which lies within Arizona, does observe daylight saving time, although the Hopi Nation, as well as some Arizona state offices lying within the Navajo Nation, do not.
The largest city in the Mountain Time Zone is Phoenix, Arizona, and its metropolitan area is the largest in the zone.
TV broadcasting in the Mountain Time Zone is typically tape-delayed one hour, so that shows match the broadcast times of the Central Time Zone (i.e. prime time begins at 7:00 p.m. MT following the same order of programming as the other two time zones).
Canada
The following provinces and areas are part of the Mountain Time Zone:
- Alberta
- the Northwest Territories (except for Tungsten)
- most of the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut
- portions of southeastern and northeastern British Columbia
- the area of Saskatchewan immediately surrounding the city of Lloydminster
Mexico
The following states are part of the Mountain Time Zone:
- Baja California Sur
- Chihuahua
- Nayarit: Except from the Bahía de Banderas municipality which uses the Central time zone.
- Sonora - no daylight saving time, always on MST.
- Sinaloa
- Revillagigedo Islands (Colima): 3 of the 4 islands uses the Mountain Time Zone, Isla Socorro, San Benedicto Island and Roca Partida.
United States
The following states or areas are part of the Mountain Time Zone:
- Arizona - no daylight saving time, always on MST (winter time), except in the Navajo Nation.
- Colorado
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Wyoming
- Utah
- Idaho - southern half, south of Salmon River
- Oregon - northern three quarters of Malheur County, on Idaho border
- North Dakota - southwestern quadrant, southwest of (Missouri River)
- South Dakota - western half
- Nebraska - western third
- Kansas - only the counties of Sherman, Wallace, Greeley and Hamilton, all of which border Colorado. The remaining three counties which border Colorado--Cheyenne, Morton and Stanton--observe Central Standard Time, as do all other Kansas counties.
- Texas - the two westernmost counties (Hudspeth, El Paso) and a portion of Culberson County
- Nevada - the border towns of West Wendover (near Utah) and Jackpot (near Idaho)
Also, the unincorporated community of Kenton, Oklahoma, located in the extreme western end of the Oklahoma Panhandle, unofficially observes Mountain Time (as the nearest sizeable towns are located in Colorado and New Mexico, both of which are in the Mountain Time Zone). However, the entire state of Oklahoma is officially in the Central Time Zone.
Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. However, the Navajo Nation, the bulk of whose area is within Arizona, observes daylight saving time throughout its territory. The Hopi Reservation, an enclave inside the Navajo Nation, does not observe daylight saving time.
Tz database
- See also: List of tz database time zones
US +394421−1045903 America/Denver Colorado US +433649−1161209 America/Boise south Idaho & east Oregon US +364708−1084111 America/Shiprock Navajo US +332654−1120424 America/Phoenix Arizona
Major metropolitan areas
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Billings, Montana
- Boise, Idaho
- Calgary, Alberta
- Chihuahua, Chihuahua
- Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua
- Cranbrook, British Columbia
- Edmonton, Alberta
- El Paso, Texas
- Fort McMurray, Alberta
- Front Range, Colorado/Wyoming — north to south:
- La Paz, Baja California Sur
- Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Lethbridge, Alberta
- Phoenix, Arizona*
- Rapid City, South Dakota
- Red Deer, Alberta
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Tucson, Arizona
- Wasatch Front, Utah — north to south:
- Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
*- Largest city in time zone
See also
References
- ^ The specification for the Mountain Time Zone in the United States is set forth at 49 CFR 71.8, and is listed in text and pdf formats.
The boundary between Central and Mountain is set forth at 49 CFR 71.7, and is listed in text and pdf formats.
The boundary between Mountain and Pacific is set forth at 49 CFR 71.9, and is listed in text and pdf formats.