California observes Pacific Standard Time (PST) during standard time, which is UTC−8. However, it switches to Pacific Daylight Time (PDT, UTC−7) during daylight saving time.
California is in the Pacific Time Zone, which includes both PST and PDT. The state follows PST from early November to mid-March and PDT from mid-March to early November. This change happens twice a year to maximize daylight hours during warmer months.
| Time Period | Time Zone | UTC Offset |
|---|---|---|
| Early November to mid-March | Pacific Standard Time (PST) | UTC−8 |
| Mid-March to early November | Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) | UTC−7 |
The switch between PST and PDT is part of daylight saving time, a practice adopted to make better use of natural sunlight. During PDT, California moves its clocks forward by one hour to extend evening daylight. This change was first implemented during World War I to conserve energy and has been observed in various forms since then.
Many people assume California is always on PST, but it's only observed during standard time. Another misconception is that all of California follows the same time zone. While most of the state is in the Pacific Time Zone, a small portion of eastern California near the Nevada border observes Mountain Time.
For example, while Los Angeles and San Francisco follow PST/PDT, cities like Bishop and Bridgeport observe Mountain Standard Time (MST, UTC−7) during standard time and Mountain Daylight Time (MDT, UTC−6) during daylight saving time.
When I visited California in February, my watch was set to PST. However, when I returned in June, I had to adjust it to PDT. This adjustment period is something many travelers experience when visiting California during the transition periods.