Time Zone History

Anchorage time zone history

On standard time, clocks at Anchorage run 1 hour ahead of local mean solar time, the third-largest gap of the 20 zones in the United States whose clocks run ahead of the sun. Local mean time, UTC−9:59:36, ended in 1900.

UTC−9

Standard time is UTC−9 (AKDT/AKST); clocks go forward to UTC−8 on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November.

Covers: Alaska (most areas) · tz database name America/Anchorage

Convert a time from Anchorage

Summer time in every year since 1970

UTC−10, UTC−9:59:36: behind today’s standard timeUTC−9: today’s standard timeUTC−8: 1 hour ahead of today’s standard timeUTC+14:00:24: 23 hours ahead of today’s standard timeUTC−10, UTC−9:59:36: behindtoday’s standard timeUTC−9: today’s standard timeUTC−8: 1 hour ahead of today’sstandard timeUTC+14:00:24: 23 hours ahead oftoday’s standard time

How to read this chart

Before 1970

186018801900192019401960186019001940
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec1970198019902000201020202028JFMAMJJASOND1970198019902000201020202028

Standard time changes

DateChangeNew standard timeClock label
Before 1970
October 19, 1867Standard time back 24 hoursUTC−9:59:36LMT
August 20, 1900Local mean time (UTC−9:59:36) replacedUTC−10AST
Since 1970
October 30, 1983Summer offset kept as standard time; clocks did not moveUTC−9YST

Daylight saving periods

YearsClocks go forwardClocks go backShift and labels
Before 1970
1942February 9not that year1 hour, AST to AWT
1945not that yearSeptember 301 hour
1969–1973last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, AHST to AHDT
Since 1970
1974January 6October 271 hour, AHST to AHDT
1975February 23October 261 hour, AHST to AHDT
1976–1982last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, AHST to AHDT
1983April 24not that year1 hour, AHST to AHDT
1984–1986last Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, AKST to AKDT
1987–2006first Sunday in April, 02:00last Sunday in October, 02:001 hour, AKST to AKDT
2007–2037second Sunday in March, 02:00first Sunday in November, 02:001 hour, AKST to AKDT

Clock changes in 2026, 2027 and 2028

The clocks go forward 1 hour (AKST to AKDT) on March 8, 2026, March 14, 2027 and March 12, 2028 at 02:00 and back 1 hour (AKDT to AKST) on November 1, 2026, November 7, 2027 and November 5, 2028 at 02:00, local time.

Also on UTC−9

Yakutat (United States), Nome (United States), Juneau (United States), Sitka (United States), Metlakatla (United States) and Gambier Islands (French Polynesia).

Clocks next door since 1970

  • Yakutat (588 km): same time except 5,050 days in 1970–1983.
  • Dawson (Canada) (621 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 3,935 days in 1970–2026; 2 hours ahead today.
  • Whitehorse (Canada) (802 km): usually 1 hour ahead; different on 3,861 days in 1970–2026; 2 hours ahead today.
  • Nome (864 km): same time except 5,050 days in 1970–1983.
  • Juneau (923 km): same time except 5,050 days in 1970–1983.