Introduction
If you’re planning a trip to Texas or you’re a resident of the Lone Star State, it’s essential to understand the different time zones in the region. Texas is the second-largest state in the United States, covering an area of 268,597 square miles. As you can imagine, this vast state has multiple time zones. In this article, we’ll explore the Texas time zone map, its history, and how to deal with the time difference.
What Are Time Zones?
Before we dive into the Texas time zone map, let’s first define what time zones are. Time zones refer to the geographic regions where people follow the same standard time. The earth is divided into 24 time zones, and each zone is one hour ahead or behind the adjacent zone. The time zones were created to standardize time and make it easier for people to coordinate activities across different regions.
History of Time Zones in Texas
Texas has been part of several time zones throughout its history. In 1883, the United States adopted four standard time zones, and Texas was in the Central Time Zone. However, in 1918, during World War I, the government introduced Daylight Saving Time to conserve energy. Texas was part of the Eastern Time Zone during this period. After the war, the government repealed Daylight Saving Time, and Texas returned to the Central Time Zone. In 1967, the Uniform Time Act established a system of uniform Daylight Saving Time throughout the United States. Texas has been part of the Central Time Zone since then, except for the El Paso region, which is in the Mountain Time Zone.
The Texas Time Zone Map
The Texas time zone map shows two different time zones: Central Time Zone and Mountain Time Zone. The Central Time Zone covers most of Texas, including cities like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. The Mountain Time Zone covers a small portion of western Texas, including El Paso.
Central Time Zone
The Central Time Zone is six hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-6). It covers 20 states in the United States, including Texas. The Central Time Zone is also known as the Chicago Time Zone, as the city of Chicago is in the center of the zone.
Mountain Time Zone
The Mountain Time Zone is seven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-7). It covers nine states in the United States, including the western part of Texas. The Mountain Time Zone is also known as the Denver Time Zone, as the city of Denver is in the center of the zone.
How to Deal with the Time Difference
If you’re traveling to Texas from a different time zone or you’re calling someone in Texas from another state, it’s essential to understand the time difference. For example, if you’re calling someone in Dallas from New York, you need to subtract one hour from the current time in New York to get the current time in Dallas.
FAQs
Q: Does Texas observe Daylight Saving Time?
A: Yes, Texas observes Daylight Saving Time. The state switches to Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday of March and switches back to Standard Time on the first Sunday of November.
Q: What time zone is Houston in?
A: Houston is in the Central Time Zone.
Q: What time zone is El Paso in?
A: El Paso is in the Mountain Time Zone.
Conclusion
Understanding the different time zones in Texas is crucial for planning your trip or coordinating activities with people in the state. The Texas time zone map shows that most of Texas is in the Central Time Zone, while a small portion in the west is in the Mountain Time Zone. Remember to account for the time difference if you’re traveling or calling someone in Texas from another state.