Difference Between Central Time and Mountain Time

Central Time vs Mountain Time
 

USA is a very large country in terms of both area and population. This is why moving from east to west the country has been divided into 4 time zones namely Eastern Standard Time, Central Standard Time, the Mountain Standard Time, and finally the Pacific Standard Time. Though the boundaries of the states in these time zones are such that there is no confusion with most states falling under a particular time zone, people remain confused between Central Time Zone and the Mountain Time Zone. The time difference between Central and Mountain time zones is one hour. Central Time (CT) is one hour ahead of the Mountain Time (MT). This article attempts to find out the differences between these two important time zones of the country.

Mountain Time Zone

Mountain Time Zone is observed in the Northern part of the country. The time in this zone is calculated by subtracting 7 hours from Greenwich Mean Time or the GMT (UTC-7). This time zone is observed in both the US and Canada where it is referred to as Mountain Time or MT. This time becomes Mountain Standard Time MST (UTC-7) during winters and Mountain Daylight Time MDT (UTC-6) during summers. Most of the states falling under this time zone observe this time alone though there are some states that have areas falling under Mountain Time Zone, as well as areas falling under Central Time Zone such as Dakota.

Mountain Time MT is 7 hours behind GMT.

MST = GMT/UTC-7 and

MDT = GMT/UTC-6

Central Time Zone

Central Time Zone is observed in the central region of the country if one moves towards east from the states falling under Mountain Time Zone. It is one hour ahead of the time in the Mountain Time Zone. The area observing Central Time Zone is not only a large one but also the most populous area of the country. This time zone is observed in 20 states of US in full or in part.

Central Time is 6 hours behind GMT.

CST = GMT/UTC-6 and

CDT = GMT/UTC-5

Central Time vs Mountain Time

• The Central Time is observed in the area that is to the east of the region that falls under Mountain Time Zone.

• Central Time Zone is observed in the most populous region of US. The regions that follow Central Time include Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Lousiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

• Mountain Time Zone is observed in the Northern part of the country. The regions include Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

• There are states such as Dakota that fall under both Mountain Time and Central Time.

• Central Time Zone is behind Greenwich Mean Time by 6 hours.

• CST = GMT/UTC-6 and CDT = GMT/UTC-5

• Mountain Time Zone is 7 hours behind GMT.

• MST = GMT/UTC-7 and MDT = GMT/UTC-6

• Central Time Zone is ahead of the Mountain Time Zone by an hour.

• CST = MST+1; When MST is 12.00 PM, CST is 1.00 PM

 

Scoot over, Zoom fatigue. There’s a new sheriff in town: time zone fatigue. If you have one employee working in California, another in Wisconsin, and another in Maine, you’re probably already familiar with the condition. To get through the confusion, you need a cheat sheet to understand the different time zones in the USA. And, voila! It has arrived.

Read on to learn why time zones matter in business, what the different time zones spanning the states are, and how to handle time zone differences.

Why do time zones matter in business? 

In this day and age, everyone is interconnected. And with many businesses nationwide (and globally) working and operating remotely, juggling multiple time zones is common. 

You may work with the following parties across different time zones:

• Employees
• Vendors
• Business partners 
• Customers

Whether you’re calling to place an order from a vendor or scheduling a meeting with a remote team, time zones matter. 

What are the time zones in the USA?

There are several different time zones in the United States. Take a look at the six zones all 50 states and D.C. could fall under, along with an example of the time difference for each:

1. Eastern Standard Time (EST) | 2 p.m.
2. Central Standard Time (CST) | 1 p.m.
3. Mountain Standard Time (MST) | 12 p.m.
4. Pacific Standard Time (PST) | 11 a.m.
5. Alaska Standard Time (AKST) | 10 a.m.
6. Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST) | 8 a.m.

Most states also follow daylight saving time (DST), which can throw a wrench in your ability to keep up with different time zones. 

What to know about daylight saving time 

Daylight saving time is the practice of changing the clocks by one hour in the spring and the fall—springing forward and falling back. In the spring, the clocks go forward (1 p.m. becomes 2 p.m.). In the fall, the clocks go backward (2 p.m. becomes 1 p.m.). 

Daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. In total, DST lasts 34 weeks. The purpose is to increase daylight hours so that darkness falls later during the summer months.

But, not all states follow daylight saving time. Officially, Arizona (excluding Navajo Nation) and Hawaii do not observe DST. Several other states that do follow DST have introduced legislation to end the practice of changing clocks. 

Not to mention, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill to make daylight savings time permanent in March 2022. If it passes in the House and is signed into law by the president, daylight saving time would be permanent. The bill would also allow Arizona and Hawaii to remain on standard time. 

Let’s take a look at an example of how DST currently impacts time zone differences. During daylight savings time in Ohio, Ohio is three hours ahead of Arizona. But when Ohio falls back an hour in November, there’s only a two-hour time difference between Ohio and Arizona since Arizona doesn’t follow DST. So although Arizona is on MST and Ohio is on EST (spoiler!), Arizona is three hours behind during DST. 

Which states are in which time zones? 2 Charts to use

Want to see which states are in which time zones? We’ve included two charts, depending on what you need. Use Chart 1 to see states categorized by time zone. Use Chart 2 to see states categorized alphabetically. 

Heads up! If you do work internationally, make sure to understand global time zones, too. 

Chart 1: Time zone 

Check out our time zone chart. Remember that some states have two time zones, depending on the county or town (indicated with an *).

Eastern Standard TimeCentral Standard TimeMountain Standard TimePacific Standard TimeAlaska Standard TimeHawaii-Aleutian Standard TimeConnecticutAlabamaArizonaCaliforniaAlaskaHawaiiDelawareArkansasColoradoIdaho*D.C.Florida*Idaho*Nevada*Florida*IllinoisKansas*Oregon*GeorgiaIndiana*MontanaWashingtonIndiana*IowaNebraska*Kentucky*Kansas*Nevada*MaineKentucky*New MexicoMarylandLouisianaNorth Dakota*MassachusettsMichigan*Oregon*Michigan*MinnesotaSouth Dakota*New HampshireMississippiTexas*New JerseyMissouriUtahNew YorkNebraska*WyomingNorth CarolinaNorth Dakota*OhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaSouth Dakota*South CarolinaTennessee*Tennessee*Texas*VermontWisconsinVirginiaWest Virginia

Chart 2: Alphabetical 

Want to find your state and see its time zone? Use our state chart below, organized alphabetically. Again, some states use multiple time zones, depending on the area.

StateTime Zone(s)AlabamaCentral Standard TimeAlaskaAlaska Standard TimeArizonaMountain Standard Time ArkansasCentral Standard TimeCaliforniaPacific Standard TimeColoradoMountain Standard TimeConnecticut Eastern Standard TimeDelawareEastern Standard TimeD.C.Eastern Standard TimeFloridaEastern Standard Time, Central Standard Time GeorgiaEastern Standard TimeHawaiiHawaii-Aleutian Standard TimeIdahoMountain Standard Time, Pacific Standard Time IllinoisCentral Standard TimeIndianaEastern Standard Time, Central Standard TimeIowaCentral Standard TimeKansasCentral Standard Time, Mountain Standard Time KentuckyCentral Standard Time, Eastern Standard Time LouisianaCentral Standard TimeMaineEastern Standard TimeMarylandEastern Standard TimeMassachusettsEastern Standard TimeMichiganEastern Standard Time, Central Standard Time MinnesotaCentral Standard TimeMississippiCentral Standard TimeMissouriCentral Standard TimeMontanaMountain Standard TimeNebraskaCentral Standard Time, Mountain Standard Time NevadaPacific Standard Time, Mountain Standard TimeNew HampshireEastern Standard TimeNew JerseyEastern Standard TimeNew MexicoMountain Standard TimeNew YorkEastern Standard TimeNorth CarolinaEastern Standard TimeNorth DakotaCentral Standard Time, Mountain Standard Time OhioEastern Standard TimeOklahomaCentral Standard TimeOregonPacific Standard Time, Mountain Standard TimePennsylvaniaEastern Standard TimeRhode IslandEastern Standard TimeSouth CarolinaEastern Standard TimeSouth DakotaCentral Standard Time, Mountain Standard TimeTennesseeCentral Standard Time, Eastern Standard TimeTexasCentral Standard Time, Mountain Standard TimeUtahMountain Standard Time VermontEastern Standard TimeVirginiaEastern Standard TimeWashingtonPacific Standard TimeWest VirginiaEastern Standard TimeWisconsinCentral Standard TimeWyomingMountain Standard Time

Tips for handling different time zones

There may be times when working with a vendor or customer in a different time zone impacts your day … like if you go to place an order and they’re already closed. Or if you tell a customer you’ll call them at 5 p.m. and you’re two hours behind them. 

But, the most common situation you may face with time zone confusion is among your team. According to Gallup, 45% of full-time U.S. employees work from home. And if you let employees work anywhere in the country, their time zones may get a little tricky to juggle.

Take a look at the following tips to help you handle different time zones with ease.

1. Use time and attendance software

Need an easier way to track employee hours across different time zones? Use time and attendance software with a time zone setting.

Employees can enter their in and out times according to their time zone, eliminating confusion and miscommunication for both employers and employees.

2. Be clear about the time zone you’re talking about

“Let’s meet at 1 p.m.”  Is that 1 p.m. my time … or yours? If you have employees (or vendors, etc.) working across different time zones, simply saying a time may cause confusion. 

To clear the air, communicate which time zone you’re referencing. If possible, you can detail the different times for each party. For example, you may say something like “1 p.m. EST, which would be 12 p.m. CST and 10 a.m. PST.”

3. Use consistency when scheduling meetings

Consider setting up meetings for the same time to provide consistency among employees, customers, vendors, etc. 

If employees work varying schedules, schedule meetings during times when all employees are active.

4. Take advantage of tools 

Consider taking advantage of the following to help you stay organized and on top of deadlines when working with people in different time zones:

• Project management tools (e.g., Jira)
• Collaboration tools (e.g., Google Workspace)
• Communication tools (e.g., Slack)

Some tools, like Slack, alert you of someone else’s time zone if you send a message early in the morning or late in the evening for them. 

Keeping ahead of time zone differences

Effectively manage the difference between time zones to avoid miscommunication blunders with employees, vendors, and customers. 

Whether you’re scheduling meetings, placing orders, or planning projects, keep the following time zone tips in mind: 

1. Understand the different time zones in the U.S. (or beyond if you work internationally)
2. Make sure all parties know what time zone you’re talking about
3. Take advantage of tools to help you work with people in different time zones

This article has been updated from its original publication date of September 23, 2022.

This is not intended as legal advice; for more information, please click here.