New York Time Zone

New York Overview (New York Time Zone)

New York has a rich history, being inhabited by tribes of Native Americans for centuries before European colonists arrived on the shores of North America. The state was claimed and colonized by various peoples and was a key location in the American Revolutionary War. The state is most well-known for being the home of New York City, which is arguably the most famous city on the planet and a key leader in fields of fashion, entertainment, industry, technology, tourism, and more.

New York City is, of course, the largest city in the state of New York and boasts a population of over 8 million people, but New York's state capital is actually Albany, a city with a population of around 100,000. Due to its geographical location has a humid continental climate with warm temperatures in summer and freezing temperatures in winter.

Activities and Economy in NY (New York Time Zone)

As previously mentioned, New York as a state is best known for its biggest city, New York City. This city provides most of the state's attractions and economy as one of the most visited tourist locations on Earth, boasting major sports teams, monuments, tourist hot spots like Times Square, the New York Stock Exchange, thousands of high-rise buildings, and so much more. New York City, through its multitude of activities and industries, is one of the biggest individual contributors to the American economy.

Outside of New York City, the rest of New York State does still have plenty to offer. Parts of Niagara Falls fall within the state's limits, as well as the Adirondack Mountains and various other areas of natural beauty. The state is also known for its orchards and agriculture, with apples, peaches, and other fruits being grown all around New York. Various lakes, forests, state parks, historical locations, and the famous Hudson River also provide many opportunities for outdoor activities.

History of NY Time Zones

Before the introduction of time zones, people around the United States relied on the sun to tell the time. As the sun would reach its highest point in the sky and cross the meridian line, clocks would be set to midday, meaning that the time in one town or state would differ from another town or state not too far away.

Time zones were introduced a little before the turn of the 20th century, leading to a more structured timekeeping system throughout the entire US. As one of the most easterly states, New York was logically placed within the Eastern Time Zone. While some states are split between multiple time zones, the entirety of New York observes Eastern Time. This is actually the dominant time zone of the US, with a majority of the country's population observing Eastern Time.

Time Zone

Eastern Time Zone

The Eastern Time Zone (ET) covers the entirety of New York, as well as applying in sixteen other full states and parts of five other states. Eastern Time is divided into two forms: Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). EST applies outside of the summer months and is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5), while EDT, which is used during periods of daylight saving time, is four hours behind UTC.

As well as New York and many other parts of the US, the Eastern Time Zone also covers some sections of Canada, one Mexican state, several Caribbean Islands, and some parts of Central and South America. It’s a very important time zone in the US as it covers around half of the American population, including the biggest city (New York City) and the capital, Washington D.C.

Daylight Savings in New York

The entire state of New York, like most other states in the US, uses daylight savings time. This means that, during several months of the year around the summer time, the state passes from EDT to EST, going from UTC-5 to UTC-4. Daylight saving time was introduced through the Uniform Time Act in 1966 and was extended after the Energy Policy Act in 2005.