Pacific Time vs Mountain Time
• Mountain Time (MT) is ahead of Pacific Time (PT) by an hour
• Pacific Standard Time (PST) is GMT/UTC – 8 while Mountain Standard Time (MST) is GMT/UTC – 7
• Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) is GMT/UTC – 7 while Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) is GMT/UTC – 6
USA is a very large country divided into 9 time zones because of its extent from east to west and north to south in the North American continent. However, when we talk about contiguous land, US is divided into 4 time zones from west to east namely Pacific Time Zone, Mountain Time Zone, Central Time Zone, and Eastern Time Zone. There are many states observing either PT or MT in full, but there are also states that observe PT and MT in part making it confusing for people. This article attempts to find out the differences between Pacific and Mountain Time.
Pacific Time (PT)
Pacific Time is observed in the western part of the country. This time is obtained after subtracting 8 hours from UTC. The clocks in this area are turned back by an hour during summers making the time pacific daylight saving Time or PDT. However, the clocks are moved ahead by an hour during winters to make for Pacific Standard Time or PST. One of the most famous cities in this time zone is Los Angeles in the state of California. It is during summers when the time is daylight saving time that it becomes UTC-7.
Mountain Time (MT)
Mountain Time is observed in a large area as we move from the west towards east. This time becomes Mountain Standard Time or MST during winters while it becomes Mountain Daylight Time or MDT during spring and summers. MST is UTC-7, and MDT is UTC-6. This time zone gets its name from Rocky Mountains that observe this time zone in their entirety.
Pacific Time vs Mountain Time
• Mountain Time MT is ahead of Pacific Time PT by an hour.
• Pacific Standard Time (PST) is GMT/UTC – 8 while Mountain Standard Time (MST) is GMT/UTC – 7
• Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) is GMT/UTC – 7 while Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) is GMT/UTC – 6
• Pacific Time is observed in the western most part of the country, whereas Mountain Time is observed as we move towards east.
• Mountain Time is so called because of the presence of Rocky Mountains inside this time zone.
• While Phoenix in the state of Arizona is the largest city that observes Mountain Time, LA in the state of California is the largest city in US to observe Pacific Time.
• Some of the other states that observe MT are Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
• Some of the other states that observe PT are Oregan, Nevada, and Washington.