The Atlantic Time Zone is a geographical region that keeps standard time—called Atlantic Standard Time (AST)—by subtracting four hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), resulting in UTC−04:00. AST is observed in parts of North America and some Caribbean islands. During part of the year, some portions of the zone observe daylight saving time, referred to as Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT), by moving their clocks forward one hour to result in UTC−03:00. The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 60th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory.
The United States National Hurricane Center's official advisories typically report AST and UTC when tracking storms in the Caribbean that threaten the U.S., which may confuse the mainland public not familiar with the time zone designation.[4]
U.S. states considering a change to Atlantic Standard Time
All six of the New England states in the northeastern U.S., currently in the Eastern Time Zone (with daylight saving time), have considered legislation to shift to UTC−04:00, equivalent to Atlantic Standard Time (with no observance of daylight saving time) or Eastern Daylight Time. Virtually all of this region is west of the theoretical western border of the zone at 67.5°W; only a small portion of Maine lies east of that meridian. A Massachusetts commission concluded in 2017 that the benefits of changing to Atlantic Standard Time year-round would outweigh the disadvantages, provided that a majority of northeastern states make the same change.[5] In May 2017, the Maine Senate approved a change to AST, on the condition that there would be a referendum, and that Massachusetts and New Hampshire decided to make the same switch.[6] Also in 2017, the New Hampshire House of Representatives approved a bill in favor of a regional change, but this was voted down by the state's Senate.[7] Similar bills have been put forward in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont.[6][8]
In 2018, Florida enacted into law the "Sunshine Protection Act", under which the state would observe daylight saving time year-round. Most of the state would permanently keep Eastern Daylight Time, which is equivalent to Atlantic Standard Time; the state's panhandle region would move to year-round Central Daylight Time / Eastern Standard Time.[9][10] However, the change cannot take effect until it is passed into federal law by the United States Congress.[10]
On March 15, 2022, the United States Senate voted unanimously to advance a federal version of the "Sunshine Protection" legislation from Florida, also called the "Sunshine Protection Act", to the United States House of Representatives. If the bill passes the House and earns the president's signature, Daylight Saving will be made permanent in most of the United States in November 2023, effectively making the parts of the US in the Eastern Time Zone a part of the Atlantic Standard Time Zone year-round.[11]
^"Commission: Massachusetts Should Change Time Zones, But Not On Its Own". November 1, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
^ ab"Maine Considers Atlantic Standard Time". www.timeanddate.com. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
^"Senate votes down push to switch N.H.'s time zone". May 11, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
^Haigh, Susan (2019-01-15). "Connecticut bill is latest calling for time zone change". Providence Journal. Retrieved 2019-09-10. In Vermont, Democrat Rep. Samuel Young this year has submitted legislation that would establish year-round Eastern daylight saving time.
^"Should Florida keep Daylight Saving Time all year? It could happen". miamiherald. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
^ abLemongello, Steven. "Florida's year-round daylight saving time law on hold in Congress". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
^Palya, Ashley (2022-03-15). "Turning Back Clocks A Thing Of The Past? Senate Passes Sunshine Protection Act". International Business Times. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlantic Time Zone (Americas).
Atlantic Standard Time: current time (live clock)
Atlantic Daylight Time: current time (live clock)
Web clock (Official times across Canada)
Canada time zone map
Time zone map
May 04, 2023
atlantic, time, zone, geographical, region, that, keeps, standard, time, called, atlantic, standard, time, subtracting, four, hours, from, coordinated, universal, time, resulting, observed, parts, north, america, some, caribbean, islands, during, part, year, s. The Atlantic Time Zone is a geographical region that keeps standard time called Atlantic Standard Time AST by subtracting four hours from Coordinated Universal Time UTC resulting in UTC 04 00 AST is observed in parts of North America and some Caribbean islands During part of the year some portions of the zone observe daylight saving time referred to as Atlantic Daylight Time ADT by moving their clocks forward one hour to result in UTC 03 00 The clock time in this zone is based on the mean solar time of the 60th meridian west of the Greenwich Observatory Atlantic Time ZoneTime zone Atlantic Time ZoneUTC offsetASTUTC 04 00ADTUTC 03 00Current time19 56 3 May 2023 AST refresh 20 56 3 May 2023 ADT refresh Observance of DSTDST is observed in parts of this time zone In Canada the provinces of New Brunswick 1 Nova Scotia 2 and Prince Edward Island are in this zone though legally they calculate time specifically as an offset of four hours from Greenwich Mean Time GMT 4 rather than from UTC Small portions of Quebec eastern Cote Nord and the Magdalen Islands also observe Atlantic Time Officially the entirety of Newfoundland and Labrador observes Newfoundland Standard Time 3 but in practice Atlantic Time is used in most of Labrador No portion of the continental United States currently uses Atlantic Time although it is used by the territories of Puerto Rico and the U S Virgin Islands In the 2010s several U S states considered legislation to move from the Eastern Time Zone to Atlantic Standard Time Any changes must be approved by the United States Department of Transportation and the United States Congress before taking legal effect The United States National Hurricane Center s official advisories typically report AST and UTC when tracking storms in the Caribbean that threaten the U S which may confuse the mainland public not familiar with the time zone designation 4 Contents 1 Areas covered 1 1 Caribbean 1 2 North America 1 3 Additional local areas 2 U S states considering a change to Atlantic Standard Time 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksAreas covered EditCaribbean Edit Antigua and Barbuda no DST Barbados no DST Dominica no DST Dominican Republic no DST France and French overseas collectivities in the following areas Guadeloupe no DST Martinique no DST Saint Barthelemy no DST Saint Martin no DST Grenada no DST Guyana no DST Netherlands and Dutch special municipalities in the following areas Aruba no DST Bonaire no DST Curacao no DST Saba no DST Sint Eustatius no DST Sint Maarten no DST Saint Kitts and Nevis no DST Saint Lucia no DST Saint Vincent and the Grenadines no DST Trinidad and Tobago no DST United Kingdom British Overseas Territories in the following areas Anguilla no DST Bermuda British Virgin Islands no DST Montserrat no DST United States in the following areas Puerto Rico no DST United States Virgin Islands no DST North America Edit Canada in the following areas Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Most of Labrador Magdalen Islands Quebec Cote Nord east of the 63rd meridian Quebec no DST Additional local areas Edit Greenland in the following area Thule Air BaseU S states considering a change to Atlantic Standard Time EditAll six of the New England states in the northeastern U S currently in the Eastern Time Zone with daylight saving time have considered legislation to shift to UTC 04 00 equivalent to Atlantic Standard Time with no observance of daylight saving time or Eastern Daylight Time Virtually all of this region is west of the theoretical western border of the zone at 67 5 W only a small portion of Maine lies east of that meridian A Massachusetts commission concluded in 2017 that the benefits of changing to Atlantic Standard Time year round would outweigh the disadvantages provided that a majority of northeastern states make the same change 5 In May 2017 the Maine Senate approved a change to AST on the condition that there would be a referendum and that Massachusetts and New Hampshire decided to make the same switch 6 Also in 2017 the New Hampshire House of Representatives approved a bill in favor of a regional change but this was voted down by the state s Senate 7 Similar bills have been put forward in Connecticut Rhode Island and Vermont 6 8 In 2018 Florida enacted into law the Sunshine Protection Act under which the state would observe daylight saving time year round Most of the state would permanently keep Eastern Daylight Time which is equivalent to Atlantic Standard Time the state s panhandle region would move to year round Central Daylight Time Eastern Standard Time 9 10 However the change cannot take effect until it is passed into federal law by the United States Congress 10 On March 15 2022 the United States Senate voted unanimously to advance a federal version of the Sunshine Protection legislation from Florida also called the Sunshine Protection Act to the United States House of Representatives If the bill passes the House and earns the president s signature Daylight Saving will be made permanent in most of the United States in November 2023 effectively making the parts of the US in the Eastern Time Zone a part of the Atlantic Standard Time Zone year round 11 See also EditDaylight saving time in the AmericasReferences Edit CHAPTER T 6 Time Definition Act PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2008 12 07 Retrieved 2012 09 11 Time Definition Act Archived from the original on 5 June 2008 Retrieved 2008 06 02 RSNL1990 CHAPTER S 23 STANDARD TIME ACT Retrieved 2007 11 16 Advisories National Hurricane Center Commission Massachusetts Should Change Time Zones But Not On Its Own November 1 2017 Retrieved March 15 2018 a b Maine Considers Atlantic Standard Time www timeanddate com Retrieved March 15 2018 Senate votes down push to switch N H s time zone May 11 2017 Retrieved March 15 2018 Haigh Susan 2019 01 15 Connecticut bill is latest calling for time zone change Providence Journal Retrieved 2019 09 10 In Vermont Democrat Rep Samuel Young this year has submitted legislation that would establish year round Eastern daylight saving time Should Florida keep Daylight Saving Time all year It could happen miamiherald Retrieved 2019 03 12 a b Lemongello Steven Florida s year round daylight saving time law on hold in Congress OrlandoSentinel com Retrieved 2019 03 12 Palya Ashley 2022 03 15 Turning Back Clocks A Thing Of The Past Senate Passes Sunshine Protection Act International Business Times Retrieved 2022 03 17 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlantic Time Zone Americas Atlantic Standard Time current time live clock Atlantic Daylight Time current time live clock Web clock Official times across Canada Canada time zone map Time zone map Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Atlantic Time Zone amp oldid 1115277502, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
