CST is Central Standard Time. CDT is Central Daylight Time. CT is Connecticut, but some people mistakenly use it as an abbreviation for Central Time. Daylight Saving Time begins and ends on dates set by law. Nationally, in 2012, it begins on March 11 at 2:00am and ends on November 4 at 2:00am, but states and regions may or may not choose to go along, so it is very important to use the full three letter abbreviation. Use CST when referring to time in the central time zone when and where Daylight Saving Time is not in effect. Use CDT when referring to time in the central time zone when and where Daylight Saving Time is in effect. Use CT to refer to Connecticut, or any number of other things abbreviated CT, but NEVER to identify a time zone, unless your goal is to confuse people.
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Use CST (Central Standard Time) when referring to the time in the Central Time Zone when Daylight Saving Time is not in effect. Use CDT (Central Daylight Time) when Daylight Saving Time is in effect in the Central Time Zone. Use CT as a general abbreviation for Central Time without specifying whether it is standard or daylight time.
CDT means Central Daylight Time while CST means Central Standard Time. The difference is that CDT is used while Daylight savings is in effect, therefore in the summer. CST is used in the winter. In Canadian Providences Ontario (a few communities) and Saskatchewan (most), CST is used all year.
CDT is Central Daylight time - so in spring forward, 12:00 becomes 1:00.
MST is Mountain Standard time - which is one time zone earlier than Central, 12:00 becomes 11.
So the difference is 2 hours.
CDT = Central Daylight Time (summer, with daylight savings)
CST = Central Standard Time (winter, no daylight savings)
CT = Central Time (no reference to daylight savings)
Just to clarify CST or CDT or CT is acceptable. CT - central time zone is used when it is not know if the time zone being reference is using daily savings time - reference look up website timeanddate --> time zone
States of the United States that are in more than one time zone are, in alphabetical order,... Alaska (MeST, AKST/AKDT & HAST/HADT) Arizona - March to November only (MST & MST/MDT) Florida (EST/EDT & CST/CDT) Idaho (MST/MDT & PST/PDT) Indiana (EST/EDT & CST/CDT) Kansas (CST/CDT & MST/MDT) Kentucky (EST/EDT & CST/CDT) Michigan (EST/EDT & CST/CDT) Nebraska (CST/CDT & MST/MDT) Nevada (MST/MDT & PST/PDT) North Dakota (CST/CDT & MST/MDT) Oregon (MST/MDT & PST/PDT) South Dakota (CST/CDT & MST/MDT) Tennessee (EST/EDT & CST/CDT) Texas (CST/CDT & MST/MDT)
11:59 PM CST = 12:59 AM EST11:59 PM CDT = 11:59 PM ESTExample: During the summer, the time is the same in Chicago (CDT) and Jamaica (EST).
In 1957, Chicago would have been observing Central Daylight Time (CDT) on August 22nd. Chicago typically transitions to Central Standard Time (CST) in the fall.
Central Standard Time (CST) is used in Illinois from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March. Central Daylight Time (CDT) is used from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. This change corresponds with the daylight saving time periods in Illinois.
From 2 AM CDT (7 AM UTC) on the 1st Sunday of November until 2 AM CST (8 AM UTC) on the 2nd Sunday of March, the time in Katy is UTC-6 (Central Standard Time or CST). During the rest of the year, the time in Katy is UTC-5 (Central Daylight Saving Time or CDT).