Current Time in the USA

Live US clock - current time in the United States

The United States of America (USA) is a huge country stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Due to the enormous geographical spread, there are many different time zones in the USA. Planning international phone calls, online business meetings, tracking flights to New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD) or Los Angeles (LAX), as well as everyday communication require precise knowledge of the current time in individual states. Our professional live US clock automatically syncs with NTP atomic clocks, presenting the current hour and minutes for major US cities without the slightest delay.

US Time Zones - The Complete Guide

The continental United States is divided into four main time zones. Additionally, the states of Alaska and Hawaii, located outside the main continent, have their own separate time zones. Below is a detailed description of each:

• Eastern Time (ET):Covers the US East Coast. Standard time isEST (UTC-5), while summer time isEDT (UTC-4). This zone includes, among others: New York, Washington, Miami, Boston, Atlanta and Detroit.
• Central Time (CT):Includes states located in the central part of the country. Standard time isCST (UTC-6), and daylight saving time isCDT (UTC-5). The main cities in this zone are Chicago, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Minneapolis and Memphis.
• Mountain Time (MT):Includes states in the Rocky Mountain area. Standard time isMST (UTC-7), and daylight saving time isMDT (UTC-6). This zone includes, among others: Denver, Salt Lake City and Phoenix (Arizona). It's worth knowing that most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time and remains on MST year-round.
• Pacific Time (PT):Covers the west coast of the country. Standard time isPST (UTC-8), and daylight saving time isPDT (UTC-7). The most important metropolises in this zone are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego and Las Vegas.
• Alaska Time (AKT):Covers almost the entire area of ​​the state of Alaska. Standard time isAKST (UTC-9), and daylight saving time isAKDT (UTC-8). The main centers are Anchorage and Fairbanks.
• Hawaii-Aleutian Time (HAT):Includes the islands of Hawaii and the westernmost islands of the Aleutian archipelago. Standard time isHST (UTC-10). Hawaii has completely opted out of daylight saving time, so the difference with them only changes due to time changes in Europe or the continental US.

Time difference between Poland and the USA – watch out for transition periods (DST)!

By default, the time difference between Poland (Warsaw, Central European Time) and the US zones is from 6 to 11 hours back. Since they are located west of us, it is always earlier in the USA than in Poland.

An extremely important phenomenon that every traveler and entrepreneur must know about are the transition periods when changing to Daylight Saving Time (DST).

The United States and European Union countries introduce and withdraw daylight saving time on different dates:

• Spring time change:In the US, daylight saving time begins onthe second Sunday in March, while in Poland and across Europe, daylight saving time does not start untilthe last Sunday in March. During these approximately 2-3 weeks, the time difference between Poland and the USA is1 hour lessthan usual (e.g. New York is delayed by 5 hours instead of 6).
• Autumn time change:In Europe, the return to winter (standard) time occurs onthe last Sunday of October. In the US, daylight saving time does not end untilthe first Sunday in November. During this period of approximately 1 week, the time difference is alsoby 1 hour less.

These shifts often cause calendar errors and misunderstandings in planning videoconferences, so you should be especially careful in March and at the turn of October and November.

Table of time zones in the USA and time differences with Poland (Warsaw)

The table below presents a summary of time zones in the USA, their abbreviations, UTC shifts and the constant difference from Poland in both periods of the year:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)