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UTC−06:00
UTC−06:00
UTC−06:00
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UTC−06:00: blue (January), orange (July), yellow (year-round), light blue (sea areas)

Key Information

Time in Nunavut
  Standard DST
GMT−05:00 GMT−04:00 Eastern Time
GMT−05:00 (year round) Eastern Time
GMT−06:00 GMT−05:00 Central Time
GMT−07:00 GMT−06:00 Mountain Time
Time in Indiana: Counties grouped by time zone. Lake Michigan shown in blue at top left.
Standard DST US time zone
Red UTC−06:00 UTC−05:00 Central Time
Yellow UTC−05:00 UTC−04:00 Eastern Time
Time in Mexico
Mexican time zone Standard DST U.S. equivalent
Zona Sureste UTC−05:00 Eastern Standard Time
Zona Centro UTC−06:00 UTC−05:00 Central Time
UTC−06:00 Central Standard Time
Zona Pacífico UTC−07:00 UTC−06:00 Mountain Time
UTC−07:00 Mountain Standard Time
Zona Noroeste UTC−08:00 UTC−07:00 Pacific Time

UTC−06:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of −06:00. In North America, it is observed in the Central Time Zone during standard time, and in the Mountain Time Zone during the other eight months (see daylight saving time). Several Latin American countries and a few other places use it year-round.

As standard time (Northern Hemisphere winter)

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Principal cities: Winnipeg, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Austin, Memphis, Kansas City, San Antonio, Nashville, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Reynosa

North America

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CST is standard time in the 6th time zone west of Greenwich, centralized by the 90th meridian; used in North America in some parts of Canada, Mexico and the United States.[1]

As daylight saving time (Northern Hemisphere summer)

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Principal cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Yellowknife, Denver, Billings, Boise, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, El Paso, Ciudad Juárez

North America

[edit]

As standard time (year-round)

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Principal cities: Regina, Saskatoon, Puebla, Orizaba, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, Managua, Belmopan, Belize City, San José, San Salvador, San Pedro Sula, Liberia.

Central America

[edit]
  • Belize
  • Costa Rica
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Nicaragua
    • Called Central America Time Zone

North America

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Oceania

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East Pacific

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As standard time (Southern Hemisphere winter)

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Principal settlement: Hanga Roa

Oceania

[edit]

East Pacific

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

UTC−06:00

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from Grokipedia
UTC−06:00 is a time offset from (UTC) of six hours behind, designating local times that lag UTC by six hours. It is most notably the Central Standard Time (CST) observed across the in during periods without . This offset applies to significant portions of the (including 20 states such as , , and ), (parts of , , and other provinces), and (most of the country, including the central region). Major cities in this zone include Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Mexico City, and Winnipeg, where it supports daily life, commerce, and coordination across a region home to about one-third of the U.S. population. In areas observing —typically from the second Sunday in to the first Sunday in —the offset advances to , known as Central Daylight Time (CDT). UTC−06:00 is used year-round (without DST) in several Central American nations, including , , , , , and , as well as Ecuador's and Chile's (as standard time). The offset also aligns with the military designation "Sierra" and corresponds to longitudes approximately between 82.5° W and 97.5° W at sea.

Overview

Definition and General Usage

UTC−06:00 is a time offset that subtracts six hours from (UTC), resulting in local times six hours earlier than UTC. This offset is primarily associated with regions situated west of the , serving as the basis for various standard time designations in the Americas and Pacific areas. In general usage, UTC−06:00 functions as standard time during the winter months in locations, such as parts of where it aligns with Central Standard Time (CST). For some of these areas, it shifts to during summer under (DST), becoming Central Daylight Time (CDT) to extend evening daylight. Conversely, in equatorial and certain other regions, such as , UTC−06:00 is observed year-round without DST adjustments, reflecting consistent local needs near the where solar day length varies minimally. The offset roughly corresponds to longitudes spanning from 82.5°W to 97.5°W in standard maritime definitions, though political boundaries often extend this range to approximately 75°W to 105°W for practical implementation. It aligns with mean solar time along the 90°W meridian, where local noon occurs six hours after UTC noon, but locations within the zone experience deviations of up to about 30 minutes from true solar time due to the 15°-per-hour longitude span and boundary adjustments.

Common Designations and Abbreviations

UTC−06:00 is primarily designated as Central Standard Time (CST) in and parts of , representing a fixed offset of six hours behind during non-daylight saving periods. The overarching term Central Time (CT) encompasses both standard and daylight saving variants in these regions. In areas that observe (DST), the designation advances to Central Daylight Time (CDT) at by setting clocks forward one hour, typically from the second in to the first in November. In , the official name is Hora Estándar del Centro, aligned with the under national legislation. In Central America, it is commonly referred to as Hora Estándar Central, though CST is also widely used. Other designations include Easter Island Standard Time (EAST) for certain Pacific territories and Galápagos Time (GALT) specific to the Galápagos region; GALT maintains the UTC−06:00 offset without DST, while EAST is UTC−06:00 during standard time periods, advancing to UTC−05:00 (EASST) during DST.

History

Development in North America

The rapid expansion of railroad networks in the 19th century across the and created significant challenges due to the prevalence of local solar times, with over 100 variations in alone complicating train schedules and safety. To address this, on , 1883—known as the "Day of Two Noons"—railroad companies in both countries simultaneously adopted a system of four standard time zones, including the centered on the , which established the baseline for UTC−06:00 as Central Standard Time (CST). This voluntary initiative by the railroads, proposed by Canadian engineer , marked the practical beginning of coordinated timekeeping in the region, though it lacked legal enforcement at the time. The railroad zones gained official status in the United States with the passage of the Standard Time Act on March 19, 1918, which formalized five continental time zones under federal oversight by the Interstate Commerce Commission and defined CST explicitly as six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (equivalent to UTC−06:00). This legislation also introduced daylight saving time (DST) nationwide for the duration of World War I to conserve energy. In Canada, alignment occurred concurrently through the Daylight Saving Act of 1918, which enforced standard time zones mirroring the U.S. system and mandated DST for that year, though without a permanent federal standard time law until later provincial regulations. Following , the U.S. repealed the DST provision of the 1918 act in 1919 via the Daylight Saving Time Repeal Act, reverting to voluntary local observance that led to widespread inconsistency across states and communities. DST was temporarily reinstated during under the War Time Act of 1942, advancing clocks year-round, but postwar variability prompted further federal intervention. The of 1966 standardized DST observance across the , setting it from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October (later amended), while permitting states to opt out entirely; this act reinforced the existing boundaries, including CST as UTC−06:00 during standard periods. In Mexico, standard time zones were first decreed in 1922 by President Álvaro Obregón, dividing the country into three zones with the Central Zone aligned to UTC−06:00 based on the 90th meridian. Experimental DST began in 1931, initially limited to Mexico City and later expanded nationally in various forms to align with U.S. practices and promote energy savings. However, after decades of inconsistent application, Mexico's Congress approved the abolition of DST in October 2022, effective from October 30, 2022, eliminating clock changes for most of the country; this shifted the bulk of the Central Zone to permanent UTC−06:00, with exceptions only for northern border municipalities that continue DST to synchronize with adjacent U.S. states. As of November 2025, this policy remains in effect. Saskatchewan provides a notable example of early resistance to DST within the Central Time framework. Although the province initially followed Mountain Standard Time upon its creation in 1905, it shifted to CST in 1912 for better alignment with eastern economic centers. A 1956 plebiscite revealed divided opinions on DST, leading to the Time Act of 1966, which established year-round UTC−06:00 (CST) for most of the province to promote uniformity and avoid biannual changes; this decision was reaffirmed amid national DST debates in the , including a 2022 legislative review that upheld the status quo despite calls for synchronization with neighboring regions. As of November 2025, Saskatchewan continues to observe year-round CST.

Adoption in Central America and the Pacific

The adoption of in began in the late 1910s and early 1920s, influenced by the recommendations of the of 1884, which advocated for global standard time zones based on 15-degree meridians from Greenwich. led the region by establishing UTC−06:00 on October 5, 1918, aligning its clocks with the Central Standard Time used in the United States to support growing economic and trade relations. Other nations followed suit shortly thereafter: adopted it on January 15, 1921; on January 1, 1921, and on April 1, 1921; and on June 23, 1934, reflecting a regional push for to facilitate commerce with . , though British-controlled at the time, had aligned to UTC−06:00 as early as April 1, 1912. These changes were motivated by the need for consistent timing in international , , and U.S.-centric export economies, such as and trades. Central American countries largely rejected the implementation of (DST) during the 1930s, citing their proximity to the where seasonal variations in daylight are minimal—typically less than one hour between summer and winter solstices—rendering DST ineffective for energy savings or extended evening light. Sporadic DST trials occurred in some nations later in the century (e.g., in 1973–1974 and 2006), but the standard practice remained year-round UTC−06:00 without transitions. This consistency was reinforced by international agreements in the , including the International Telecommunication Union's formal adoption of (UTC) in 1967, which standardized offsets worldwide and encouraged stable timekeeping for and in the region. In the Pacific, the , administered by , transitioned from to a unified national standard in as part of efforts to consolidate administrative control and across Ecuador's territories. By 1931, the islands aligned with mainland at UTC−05:00, but in 1986, they shifted to UTC−06:00 to better synchronize with U.S. Central Time for , scientific , and , while forgoing DST since the 1940s due to negligible daylight variation. Easter Island, a Chilean , shifted its to UTC−06:00 on March 14, 1982. was introduced nationwide in starting in 1968 to address energy shortages, with Easter Island observing DST (advancing to UTC−05:00) from early to late initially. DST was suspended from 1990 to 2009 as part of broader Chilean policy shifts prioritizing stable scheduling over seasonal adjustments. Reinstatement occurred in 2010, with the end date extended to April 4 due to disruptions from the February 27 earthquake, ensuring alignment with mainland Chile's UTC−04:00 (UTC−03:00 during DST). Between 2016 and 2019, schedules were adjusted annually in response to reviews, including efforts to mitigate drought-related power shortages through more flexible DST periods. Chile's 2019 DST reform standardized the start on the first in and end on the first Sunday in nationwide, directly impacting by maintaining its two-hour offset from the mainland during standard time. No significant alterations to UTC−06:00 observance have been implemented post-2020 in these Pacific locations as of November 2025.

Usage in the Americas

North America

In , UTC−06:00 is primarily observed as Central Standard Time (CST) during the standard time period in the , which spans parts of the , , and . This offset is used seasonally from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March, after which most areas advance to Central Daylight Time (CDT, ) until the first Sunday in November. The DST schedule was standardized across the US and most of Canada by the , which extended the DST period starting in 2007 to promote energy savings. Seasonal observance of CST affects approximately 20 US states either fully or partially, including , , and , where it aligns with the broader covering about one-third of the population, or roughly 100 million people. In , Central Time with DST applies to the entirety of , most of (except border areas like ), northwestern west of 90° W longitude, and significant portions of between 85° W and 102° W longitude, such as . Along the -Mexico border, certain municipalities in northern states like , including opposite , follow the DST pattern to facilitate cross-border commerce, switching between CST and CDT accordingly. Year-round use of UTC−06:00 occurs in several regions without DST transitions. In , most of has observed CST permanently since the province's Time Act of 1966, which mandates throughout the year, though eastern border communities like Creighton unofficially align with neighboring Manitoba's DST. Parts of in the , including communities in the such as , observe Central (UTC−06:00) during the standard time period and Central Daylight Time (UTC−05:00) during DST. In , the Zona Centro (Central Zone) operates on UTC−06:00 permanently across 22 states and , encompassing areas like , , and (excluding border exceptions), following the nationwide abolition of DST in 2022 effective from 2023 to simplify timekeeping and reduce energy use. An exception within is , which shifted to year-round in 2015 to better align with tourism from eastern .

Central America

Central American countries including , , , , , and observe UTC−06:00 year-round without implementing . This consistent application covers the entire territories of these nations, with no internal sub-zones or exceptions, ensuring uniform timekeeping across their land areas. The time zone is designated as Central Standard Time (CST) internationally, and in Spanish-speaking countries, it is referred to locally as Hora Estándar Central or similar equivalents, such as Tiempo Estándar del Centro in . The adoption of this unified time zone supports regional and , particularly with North American partners, by maintaining stable scheduling for commerce, transportation, and communication. Approximately 47 million people reside in these countries (as of 2024), representing a significant portion of the region's that follows UTC−06:00 daily. Major urban centers under this time zone include (population over 1 million), , , , and . Bordering Mexican states in the Central Time Zone, such as and , also adhere to UTC−06:00 year-round following 's 2022 abolition of nationwide , eliminating potential scheduling discrepancies along these frontiers. This permanence avoids the seasonal shifts observed in parts of the ' Central Time Zone, promoting seamless interactions in cross-border trade and travel despite indirect economic ties to the U.S.

Usage in the Pacific

Galápagos Islands

The , forming Ecuador's , observe Galápagos Time (GALT) at UTC−06:00 throughout the year, with no observance of except for a short period from late 1992 to early 1993. This time zone applies uniformly across the entire volcanic archipelago, located approximately 1,000 kilometers west of the Ecuadorian mainland in the . The fixed offset ensures consistent daily rhythms aligned with the islands' position near 90° W , which naturally corresponds to a six-hour difference from . Adopted in 1986, GALT was set one hour behind the mainland's Time (UTC−05:00), which had been established in 1931, to better reflect the archipelago's due to its greater westward extent, promoting practical separation for administrative, transportation, and environmental management purposes. The IANA time zone database identifier is Pacific/Galapagos, and as of 2025, no adjustments or DST reintroductions are in effect. With a of approximately as of 2025 estimates, the islands' residents are concentrated on key inhabited areas such as Santa Cruz (the most populous) and Isabela, supporting , , and conservation activities. The year-round stability of UTC−06:00 facilitates uninterrupted biological research and conservation efforts, minimizing scheduling disruptions that could impact monitoring of the Galápagos' unique endemic species and ecosystems, including giant and marine iguanas. This temporal consistency underscores the province's role as a global hub for evolutionary studies and management.

Easter Island

Easter Island, a remote Polynesian territory of in the southeastern , observes UTC−06:00 as its , designated as Easter Island Standard Time (EAST). The island, home to approximately 8,000 residents primarily in , shifted to this in to align with Chilean continental time practices while accounting for its easterly longitude of about 109°W, which naturally suggests a more westerly offset. From the first in to the first in , corresponding to the winter, maintains EAST (UTC−06:00). It then transitions to Easter Island Summer Time (EASST, UTC−05:00) for (DST), advancing clocks forward by one hour on the first in until the first in , under Chilean government regulations. In 2025, DST ends on April 5 at 22:00 , with clocks set back one hour, and recommences on September 6 at 22:00 , when clocks are advanced one hour; it concludes on April 4, 2026, at 22:00 , with clocks set back one hour. The (IANA) designates the time zone as Pacific/Easter, reflecting this schedule with no further adjustments planned for 2025.

References

  1. https://time.is/UTC-6
  2. https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/local-time-faqs
  3. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zones/cst
  4. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/static/31913c20666d022fa1315bd444553f8d/world_time.pdf
  5. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zone/chile/easter-island
  6. https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/timezone/utc-6
  7. https://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/us_tzones
  8. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zone/guatemala
  9. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/time-zones-decided.html
  10. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2008/pdf/GPO-STYLEMANUAL-2008-11.pdf
  11. https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LHHEUM.pdf
  12. https://24timezones.com/zona-horaria/cst
  13. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zones/east
  14. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zones/galt
  15. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/november-18/railroads-create-the-first-time-zones
  16. https://americanhistory.si.edu/ontime/synchronizing/zones.html
  17. https://www.transportation.gov/regulations/time-act
  18. https://www.thecongressproject.com/standard-time-act-of-1918
  19. https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1970JRASC..64..129T
  20. https://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/daylight_time
  21. https://history.house.gov/Blog/2019/November/11-1-Daylight-Saving/
  22. https://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/mexico-abolishes-dst-2022.html
  23. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/27/mexico-votes-abolish-summer-time-daylight-savings
  24. https://www.mexperience.com/learn-about-mexicos-seasonal-clock-changes/
  25. https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/municipal-administration/tools-guides-and-resources/saskatchewan-time-system
  26. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/springing-forward-falling-back-the-history-of-time-change-1.755925
  27. https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/saskatchewan-doesnt-change-its-clocks-should-the-rest-of-the-country-follow-suit/
  28. https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2024a/northamerica
  29. https://www.bts.gov/explore-topics-and-geography/geography/geospatial-portal/history-time-zones-and-daylight-saving
  30. https://www.galapagos.org/about_galapagos/history/
  31. https://www.statoids.com/tec.html
  32. https://statoids.com/tcl.html
  33. https://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/chile-extends-dst-2010.html
  34. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/dst-changes-in-windows-for-chile-c925a0c1-5fb3-c15f-7f36-bb96ffa9a884
  35. https://www.nist.gov/pml/time-and-frequency-division/popular-links/daylight-saving-time-dst
  36. https://www.timeanddate.com/laws/us/energypolicyact2005.html
  37. https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/time-zones-daylight-saving-time
  38. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zone/canada
  39. https://statoids.com/tmx.html
  40. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/zone/canada/saskatchewan
  41. https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/canada/rankin-inlet
  42. https://www.mexperience.com/mexicos-time-zones/
  43. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1399508/population-of-central-america-by-country/
  44. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/mexico
  45. https://24timezones.com/Galapagos-Islands/time-zone
  46. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ecuador/admin/20__gal/
  47. https://worldpopulationreview.com/regions/easter-island
  48. https://energia.gob.cl/iniciativas/cambio-de-hora
  49. https://www.timeanddate.com/time/change/chile/easter-island
  50. https://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_CL2.aspx?city=Easter
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