What does CAT mean in TIME ZONES

What Does CAT Mean?

CAT stands for Central Alaska Time and refers to the standard time zone in the central part of Alaska. CAT is one hour behind Alaskan Standard Time (AKST) and three hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). To further explain, AKST is two hours behind Pacific Standard Time while CAT is only one hour behind AKST. This means that when it’s 12 p.m. PST, it’s 10 a.m. CAT and 11 a.m. AKST.

Daylight Saving Time

The area in which Central Alaska Time operates observes daylight saving time from April to October every year, meaning in spring and summer months, the clocks are set ahead by an hour during these times so that people have an extra hour of sunlight in the evening hours before it gets dark outside. Once daylight saving time ends, they turn back their clocks by an hour so that in these months it is essentially on par with AKST or two hours behind PST again.

Knowing When To Use It

Since this time zone primarily applies to the central portion of Alaska near Anchorage and Fairbanks, residents in these areas will use this time zone code to designate their local times when given a specific moment or event happening across different areas around the world or even within as different cities may use different codes depending on how far they are from each other geographically speaking within a single state or country. For example, if someone was hosting a webinar open to all Alaskans but wanted people who live nearer Fairbanks to attend at 6 p.m., he would list that start time as 5 p.m., indicating Central Alaska Time since this is what most people in that region would be using at home as their primary clock reference point instead of just generic “Alaska” which could refer to either AKST or CAT depending on exactly where someone lives geographically speaking within Alaska itself.