You’re staring at your phone, trying to schedule a Zoom call with someone in New York, and you realize you have no idea what time it actually is. It happens. Honestly, most people just assume the West Coast is always "Pacific Standard Time." It’s a common mistake. You’ve likely said it yourself: "Let’s meet at 3:00 PM PST."
But here’s the kicker. If it’s between March and November, you’re technically lying.
The question of are we on pacific standard time is one of those things that seems simple until you realize the United States has been caught in a weird, hundred-year-old tug-of-war between the sun and the clock. Most of the year, California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada aren't on Standard Time at all. They’re on Daylight Time.
It sounds like semantics. It’s not. If you use "PST" in the middle of July, you’re technically referring to a time zone that is one hour behind where you actually are. That’s how people miss flights.
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The Great Confusion: PST vs. PDT
Right now, the easiest way to check if we are on Pacific Standard Time is to look at the calendar.
North America follows a strict—if slightly annoying—schedule for Daylight Saving Time (DST). We "spring forward" on the second Sunday in March. At that exact moment, Pacific Standard Time (PST) disappears. It gets replaced by Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
We don't go back to PST until the first Sunday in November.
So, for roughly eight months of the year, the answer to are we on pacific standard time is a flat "no." We are on UTC-7, whereas Standard Time is UTC-8. If you’re writing an email in the summer and you use the acronym PST, you are telling the recipient to meet you an hour later than you intend. It’s a mess.
Why do we do this? It’s a relic of World War I. The idea was to save fuel by extending daylight hours, a concept championed by George Hudson, an entomologist who just wanted more daylight to collect bugs. It stuck. Now, we’re stuck with it, despite the fact that modern energy studies, like the one conducted by the Department of Energy in 2008, show the energy savings are basically negligible.
How to Tell Which One You’re Using
If you’re sitting in a coffee shop in Seattle or a tech hub in San Francisco, here is the quick cheat sheet for the year:
- March to November: You are on Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
- November to March: You are on Pacific Standard Time (PST).
If you want to be safe and avoid looking like you don't know how clocks work, just say "Pacific Time" or use "PT." It’s the universal "I don't want to check the date" workaround.
Why Arizona is the Outlier
Arizona is the rebel of the West. Aside from the Navajo Nation, the state of Arizona stays on Standard Time all year. They don't touch their clocks. This means that during the summer, Arizona is effectively on the same time as California. But in the winter, when California drops back to PST, Arizona is suddenly an hour ahead.
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It drives logistics managers crazy. If you are doing business across state lines, you have to memorize these shifts or you’ll end up calling a client while they’re still eating breakfast.
The Health Toll of the Switch
We talk about are we on pacific standard time as a matter of scheduling, but doctors look at it as a matter of biology.
The transition from PST to PDT in March is actually dangerous. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine has shown a measurable spike in heart attacks and fatal car accidents the Monday following the "spring forward" switch. Our bodies have a circadian rhythm that doesn't care about federal mandates. When we force ourselves into Daylight Time, we are essentially living in a state of mild jet lag for months.
Standard Time—the "real" time where the sun is highest at noon—is actually better for our health. Neurologists from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine have been lobbying for years to get rid of Daylight Time entirely and stay on Standard Time year-round. They argue that PST aligns better with our natural sleep-wake cycles.
The Legal Battle to Stay on One Time
You might remember hearing that California or Washington voted to stop changing the clocks. You aren't imagining that.
In 2018, California voters passed Proposition 7 with a massive majority. The goal? Permanent Daylight Saving Time. Washington and Oregon passed similar bills. They’re tired of the "fall back" and "spring forward" dance.
So why are we still asking are we on pacific standard time every six months?
Because of the 1966 Uniform Time Act.
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States have the power to stay on Standard Time year-round (like Arizona and Hawaii), but they do not have the power to stay on Daylight Time year-round without a literal Act of Congress. The Sunshine Protection Act, which would make PDT permanent, has been floating around the Senate and House for years. It even passed the Senate unanimously in 2022, but then it stalled in the House.
Politicians can't agree on which time is better. Retailers and golf course owners love Daylight Time because people stay out later and spend money. Parents and sleep experts want Standard Time so kids aren't waiting for the school bus in pitch-black darkness.
Practical Steps to Stop Being Confused
If you are tired of the guessing game, there are a few ways to handle the Pacific Time situation like a pro.
First, stop using PST and PDT in your digital calendars. Most modern apps like Google Calendar or Outlook handle the offset automatically. If you invite someone to a "9:00 AM Pacific Time" meeting, the software calculates the UTC offset based on the date. You don't have to think.
Second, if you’re a developer or someone who works in global logistics, always use UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). PST is always UTC-8. PDT is always UTC-7. By using the numerical offset, you eliminate the ambiguity of whether or not the "Standard" label applies.
Lastly, check the "Sun and Moon" data on your weather app. If the sun is setting at 4:30 PM, you’re definitely on Standard Time. If it’s still light out at 8:00 PM, you’re on Daylight Time.
Actionable Takeaways for Staying on Track
- Check the Date: If it's between the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November, you are not on Pacific Standard Time. You are on Pacific Daylight Time.
- Use Generic Terms: Use "PT" or "Pacific Time" in all professional correspondence to avoid technical errors.
- Sync Manually: If you have an analog clock or a "dumb" watch, remember that the switch always happens at 2:00 AM.
- Arizona Rule: Remember that Phoenix does not change. They are your anchor for what "true" Western time looks like, even if it feels like they’re the ones moving.
- Health Prep: When the switch back to Standard Time happens in November, use that extra hour for sleep, not for staying up late. Your heart will thank you.
We are currently in a period of flux where the laws might change any year now. Until Congress makes a final call, the dance between PST and PDT continues. Just remember: Standard is for the winter, Daylight is for the summer, and confusion is, unfortunately, for everyone else.