The continent of America is exerted influence by two time zones, PST and EST. PST is the initials for which the full is Pacific Standard Time. In contrast, EST is the initial that stands for the term Eastern Standard Time.
Though these two time zones under our consideration are both seem very similar kinds of terms, there are certain points of difference between them.
PST vs EST
The difference between PST and EST is that while UTC that is Coordinated Universal Time is ahead of 8 hours from PST, EST is 5 hours lagging from the UTC. PST is mostly used during winter times, while UTC is used during winters only in few regions while throughout the year in the time zone’s southern part.
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At times, PST is also called Pacific Time or sometimes even referred to as Pacific Standard Time. The Coordinated Universal Time that is UTC is at a time variance of 8 hours ahead of this time zone.
UTC -8 is also used to represent this. On the same day of the year, when EST changes to EDT, PST changes to PDT in many places.
Eastern Standard Time, also sometimes called the EST, trails behind UCT (Coordinated Universal Time) for a time variance of 5 hours.
UTC-5 is the difference between East Standard Time and Universal Coordinated Time. Regions of places like Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee follow EST. EST is at a time contrast of 5 hours behind the UTC.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | PST | EST |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Form | Pacific Standard Time. | Eastern Standard Time. |
| Behind UTC | It is at a lag of 8 hours behind the UTC. | Trails behind UTC by a gap of 5 hours. |
| Time offset | The time equalizer is UTC-8. | The time evening up factor for this is UTC-5. |
| Places | Places include certain portions of the States, Canada, and Mexico follows Pacific Standard Time. | Employed in portions of the countries, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. |
| Times used in | In the majority of the places, this is used during winter times. | In winters used in certain regions, otherwise used throughout the year to the time zone’s south. |
What is PST?
The Pacific Time Zone (PT) includes the regions of the western part of Canada, the western portion of the States, and western Mexico. A time offset or time evening up factor of UTC07:00 is employed during daylight saving time.
The differential factor is that between November and mid-March, whereas between mid-March and November, the usage of PDT is the result of a PST-PDT process.
In a calendar year, PST is used during the winter months, and PDT is used during the summer months. Los Angeles is the greatest of the cities that fall in the Pacific Time Zone, and its metropolitan area is the biggest of that which comes in this.
As EST and PST are normal time zones, they will remain 3 hours apart for the year in which they are observed. In maximum places, PST is used during winter times. During the summer, several places in both time zones do not observe PST or EST.
On the same day of the year, when EST changes to EDT, PST changes to PDT in many places. However, because EDT is three hours ahead of PST/PDT, it shifts three hours earlier – an hour forward or back.
What is EST?
ET or sometimes referred to as Eastern Time Zone comprises some or all parts of 23 countries, including Central America, Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, as well as several Caribbean and Atlantic islands.
The Coordinated Universal Time (UTC05:00), while taking note of the standard time (autumn/winter), is 5 hours ahead of the Eastern Standard Time (EST).
So, EST is as visible at a time contrast of 5 hours behind the UTC. When the savings time of sunlight is observed (spring/summer), Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) trails behind four long hours from the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC04:00).
The boundaries of the Eastern Time Zone have extended to the west, in Kentucky, although since Interstate Trade Commission (ICC) in 1938. Wayne County, a border county in Tennessee, moved to the East from its former site in 2000.
In winters used in certain regions, otherwise used throughout the year to the time zone’s south. Eastern Standard Time is used in only certain regions in winters, otherwise used throughout the year to the time zone’s south.
Main Differences Between PST and EST
- PST in its full form is Pacific Standard Time, while the full form for EST is Eastern Standard Time.
- The PST returns 8 hours from UTC, and the EST is five hours from UTC simultaneously.
- The time evening up factor for Pacific Standard Time is UTC-8. On the other side, the time is UTC-5 for Eastern Standard Time.
- In certain portions of the States, Canada and Mexico, Pacific Standard Time is followed. Central America, Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, and the Caribbean are all covered by Eastern Standard Time.
- In maximum places, Pacific Standard Time is used during winter times, unlike Eastern Standard Time which is used in only certain regions in winters, otherwise used throughout the year to the time zone’s south.
- https://heinonline.org/hol-cgi-bin/get_pdf.cgi?handle=hein.journals/byulr2010§ion=76
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544297000327
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
